CHARACTERISTICS OF XANTHOMONAS INFECTIONS IN CRITICALLY ILL SURGICAL PATIENTS

The aim of our study was to describe the characteristics of Xanthomona s infections in a population of critically ill surgical patients. The clinical records and microbiological data on 93 patients in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) developing Xanthomonas infections were rev iewed. Xanthomonas was isolated in 125 sites in the 93 patients. Their average age was 48 years (range, 14-94). Mortality occurred in 25 pat ients (26.9%) versus 10.3 per cent of SICU patients in general (P < 0. 05). Patients were in the SICU for an average of 11.9 days before deve loping a positive Xanthomonas culture, and 87 per cent (81/93) of pati ents developed an infection at some other site before isolation of Xan thomonas. Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole was the only drug to which the isolates were commonly sensitive (123/125 = 98.4%). We conclude that Xanthomonas 1) is associated with increased mortality; 2) is resistant to many of the drugs that usually cover Gram-negative infections; and 3) commonly complicates a prolonged intensive care stay, thus serving as a marker for severity of illness.