Kocuria kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2005-07, Vol.5 (1), p.60-60, Article 60
• Main Authors: Ma, Edmond S K, Wong, Chris L P, Lai, Kristi T W, Chan, Edmond C H, Yam, W C, Chan, Angus C W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Case Report; Cholecystitis - complications; Cholecystitis - microbiology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - complications; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Humans; Levofloxacin; Male; Micrococcaceae - isolation & purification; Middle Aged; Ofloxacin - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-5-60

Kocuria, previously classified into the genus of Micrococcus, is commonly found on human skin. Two species, K. rosea and K. kristinae, are etiologically associated with catheter-related bacteremia. We describe the first case of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis. The microorganism was isolated from the bile of a 56-year old Chinese man who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He developed post-operative fever that resolved readily after levofloxacin treatment. Our report of K. kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis expands the clinical spectrum of infections caused by this group of bacteria. With increasing number of recent reports describing the association between Kocuria spp. and infectious diseases, the significance of their isolation from clinical specimens cannot be underestimated. A complete picture of infections related to Kocuria spp. will have to await the documentation of more clinical cases.