The epidemiologic, clinical and prognostic characteristics of Stenotrophomo
nas maltophilia bacteremias for a six-year period (January 1993 to December
1998) were reviewed. Twenty episodes of S. maltophilia bacteremia were inc
lude, which represented 0.62% of all bacteremias caused by gram-negative ro
ds during that period. Seventy percent of bacteremias were clinically signi
ficant. The most common predisposing factors were the previous use of antim
icrobial agents and the presence of vascular catheters. In most cases (57%)
, the origin of bacteremia was the intravascular catheter. The course of pa
tients was favorable and all patients cured.