RECOVERY OF A STRAIN OF AGROBACTERIUM-RADIOBACTER WITH A MUCOID PHENOTYPE FROM AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CHILD WITH BACTEREMIA

Agrobacteria are associated more commonly with plant than with human d isease. The isolation of Agrobacterium radiobacter from blood cultures of an immunocompromised child with a transcutaneous catheter prompted a review of human infections caused by Agrobacterium species. Only 12 reports describing 19 cases of Agrobacterium infections in humans hav e appeared in the literature. Sixteen of the patients (84%) were equip ped with implantable or transcutaneous medical devices at the time of infection, and 14 of the 19 (80%) patients could be considered immunoc ompromised because of underlying disease processes. Unlike those in pr evious reports, however, this patient was infected with a novel mucoid phenotype of A. radiobacter. Because of the significant relationship between infection and biomedical implants, we evaluated the adhesion o f this mucoid strain and a nonmucoid strain of A. radiobacter to plast ic by using two in vitro assays. No adhesion or biofilm formation was detected for either strain, but nonetheless it is clear from this revi ew that the isolation of Agrobacterium spp. from patients with indwell ing medical appliances should not be dismissed as an environmental con taminant.