Neonatal Community-acquired Raoultella Ornithinolytica Septicemia A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Raoultella ornithinolytica is an opportunistic, aquaphilic and Gram-negative bacterium. Immune deficiency states and indwelling catheters provide a basis for most of the infections arising. R. ornithinolytica septicemia (ROS) is extremely rare in neonates but can be life threatening. Community-acquired ROS has not been described in neonates before. The diagnosis of neonatal septicemia is occasionally complicated by unusual clinical presentations. Pyloric stenosis is manifested by projectile, nonbilious vomiting and late findings, including weight loss, dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities beyond 4-6 weeks old. Community-acquired neonatal septicemia symptoms can sometimes be confused with symptoms of gastrointestinal obstructions in patients without risk factors for sepsis. Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotics are essentials for a good prognosis in neonatal septicemia. Herein, we present a novel case of community-acquired ROS with an unusual presentation in a term infant and a review of the literature about ROS in the neonatal period.

Automated summary

This article presents a rare case of community-acquired Raoultella ornithinolytica septicemia in a neonate and reviews the literature on ROS in the neonatal period, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotics for a good prognosis in neonatal septicemia.