Epidemiological investigation of Ochrobactrum anthropi strains isolated from a haematology unit

Ochrobactrum anthropi is an oxidase-producing Gram-negative bacillus prefer ring aqueous environments. it is an opportunist of lon pathogenicity with a wide and unpredicitble antibiotic resistance. We observed bacteraemia caus ed by this organism in two immunocompromized patients hospitalized in the s ame haematology unit and catheter-associated sepsis was recognized within t wo days. Another isolate was obtained from the stools of a third patient of the same unit. Environmental investigations recovered an isolate from a ta p-water sample of the unit. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of th ese four isolates and two others isolates previously found in the same ward , showed identical restriction patterns for the two blood isolates and conf irmed that the two bacteraemia were epidemiologically related. (C) 2000 The Hospital infection Society.