MENINGITIS DUE TO OCHROBACTRUM-ANTHROPI - AN EMERGING NOSOCOMIAL PATHOGEN - A REPORT OF 3 CASES

We describe 3 cases of Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis following the implantation of pericardial allograft tissue to cover dural defects fo llowing craniotomy. Following an extensive epidemiologic investigation , the tissue allograft was found to have been contaminated with this u nusual organism during the harvesting and processing of the tissue in the tissue bank. This organism was only susceptible to imipenem, tetra cycline, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin. The clinical presentation of t hese patients was subacute. Two of the patients developed osteomyeliti s of the bone flap; while another developed a relapse of infection alo ng a former ventriculoperitoneal shunt track 6 months after the initia l infection. Appropriate clinical outcome was only observed after remo val of tissue allograft implants, debridement of devitalized tissue an d bone, removal of shunt devices, and prolonged courses of antibiotics . No deaths were observed.