Aeromonas hydrophila as a causative organism in peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis: case report and review of the literature

• Published in: Clinical nephrology Vol. 75 Suppl 1; p. 65
• Main Authors: Liakopoulos, V, Arampatzis, S, Kourti, P, Tsolkas, T, Zarogiannis, S, Eleftheriadis, T, Giannopoulou, M, Stefanidis, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.02.2011
• Subjects: Aeromonas hydrophila - isolation & purification; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - therapy; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory - adverse effects; Peritonitis - drug therapy; Peritonitis - microbiology; Streptococcal Infections - drug therapy; Streptococcal Infections - microbiology; Treatment Outcome; Viridans Streptococci - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0301-0430
• DOI: 10.2379/CNP75065

Most episodes of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis could be attributed to a single organism, but in almost 10% of peritonitis episodes multiple organisms are identified. Polymicrobial peritonitis is often related to intra-abdominal pathology, and the prognosis may be poor. Aeromonas spp. have rarely been identified as the causative pathogen in PD-related peritonitis, and a very small number of cases has been reported in the literature. These rod-shaped, gram-negative microorganisms have been isolated from wastewater drainage systems, food, vegetables, and soil. Herein we report a case of polymicrobial peritonitis in a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), due to a combination of Streptococcus viridans and Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The patient was involved in gardening and was not compliant with her technique protocol. She did not wear a mask and omitted thorough hand washing. The patient was treated with i.p. vancomycin and ceftazidime and peritonitis was resolved. The patient's technique was reassessed, and she was retrained by our PD nurses.