Eubacterium bacteremia - a retrospective observational study of a seldom found anaerobic pathogen.

BACKGROUND

Human infections due to Eubacterium are rare and knowledge of the condition is limited. This study aimed to describe clinical characteristics and outcome in patients with Eubacterium bacteremia.

METHODS

Episodes of Eubacterium bacteremia were identified through the clinical microbiology laboratory in Lund, Sweden. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Blood isolates of Eubacterium were collected and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed with agar dilution.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients with Eubacterium bacteremia were identified of whom six had monomicrobial bacteremia. The incidence was 1.7 cases of Eubacterium bacteremia per million inhabitants and year. The median age was 67 years (interquartile range 63-79 years), and six patients had some form of malignancy. Most of the patients an abdominal focus of infection and the 30-day mortality was low (n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Invasive infections with Eubacterium have a low incidence. The condition has a low mortality and an abdominal focus of infection, and malignancy, is common.