Colonization and infection with a rare microorganism in a neonatal intensive care unit: three preterm infants with Elizabethkingia meningoseptica

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a widespread gram-negative bacillus in the environment, but a rarely reported human pathogen presenting mostly as nosocomial infections. Advances in neonatal intensive care facilities and usage of sophisticated medical devices strengthen the invasive infectious potential of the microorganism. Clinical manifestations usually include primary bacteremia, meningitis, nosocomial pneumoniae, intravascular catheter-related bacteremia and gastrointestinal and biliary tract infections. Lack of improved diagnostic systems in resource constrained settings, might be a cause of underreporting of such infections. Discrimination between colonization and infection is quite difficult, and it has an unusual antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Therefore clinicians should pay special attention to accurate diagnosis in order to prevent mistreatment. Here we report three newborn cases with the diagnosis of E. meningoseptica infection and colopnization, with the aim of drawing attention to the diagnosis and management of this rare but lethal bacteria that is already present in the intensive care unit environment.