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Não fermentadores

Sphingomonas paucimobilis

Thin Gram-negative bacilli, motile by a polar flagellum

Identification & Growth

Identification

  • Deep yellow pigment, weakly oxidase-positive, slow growth

Growth Conditions

  • Blood agar, better at 30 °C than 37 °C, 48–72 h

Clinical Significance

  • Catheter-related bacteremia, dialysis peritonitis, water-associated hospital infection

Intrinsic Resistance

  • Intrinsic resistance to polymyxins; narrow-spectrum beta-lactams usually fail

Bench Alerts

  • Low virulence, yet water-source outbreaks are described

Clinical Notes

Clinical presentations

  • Causes catheter-related bacteremia, generally in immunocompromised or hospitalized patients.
  • Associated with urinary tract infections, peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis, and endophthalmitis.
  • Generally causes low-virulence infections with good prognosis when adequately treated.

Specimens and collection

  • Paired blood cultures (catheter and peripheral) aid assessment of device-related infection.
  • Peritoneal dialysis fluid should be promptly collected and processed in suspected dialysis-associated peritonitis.
  • Ocular samples (vitreous/aqueous humor) require collection by an ophthalmologist in suspected endophthalmitis.

Epidemiology and at-risk populations

  • Widely distributed in the environment, including water, soil, and hospital surfaces, including distilled water systems.
  • Patients with long-term catheters and immunosuppression have increased risk of invasive infection.
  • Hospital outbreaks have been associated with contaminated solutions and medical equipment, including irrigation fluids.

Resistance and therapeutic implications

  • Generally susceptible to several antimicrobial classes, including fluoroquinolones, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and some beta-lactams.
  • Device/catheter removal is often necessary for complete resolution of the associated infection.
  • Individual susceptibility testing is recommended despite the generally favorable profile, given described variability.

Bench and reporting notes

  • Non-fermenting Gram-negative bacillus that produces a characteristic yellow pigment on agar, aiding presumptive recognition.
  • MALDI-TOF is reliable for definitive species identification compared to manual biochemical methods.
  • Isolation across multiple samples from distinct patients should raise suspicion of a common environmental source and prompt epidemiologic investigation.

Sources

Educational decision-support content. It does not replace laboratory validation, current guidelines or review by the responsible professional.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Sphingomonas paucimobilis in the lab?

Sphingomonas paucimobilis is identified through deep yellow pigment, weakly oxidase-positive, slow growth.

What are the intrinsic resistances of Sphingomonas paucimobilis?

This organism is naturally resistant to intrinsic resistance to polymyxins; narrow-spectrum beta-lactams usually fail. These drugs should not be reported as susceptible.

Where is Sphingomonas paucimobilis commonly found?

It is typically associated with catheter-related bacteremia, dialysis peritonitis, water-associated hospital infection.

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