Catheter-related bloodstream Mycobacterium wolinskyi infection in an umbilical cord blood transplant recipient: a case report

Background Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI), caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM), is a rare infectious complication in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients and can often be misdiagnosed as Gram-positive rod (GPR) bacteremia. Case presentation We present a case of CRBSI caused by Mycobacterium wolinskyi, a rare RGM, in a 44-year-old female patient who received an umbilical cord blood transplant. Conclusions Rapidly growing mycobacteria can stain as GPRs and may grow in routine blood culture media after 3-4 days of incubation. These features are not widely known to clinicians, and acid-fast staining is therefore recommended when unidentifiable GPRs are detected in blood cultures, especially in immunocompromised patients, such as those with hematologic malignancies or intravascular devices.

Automated summary

This article reports a case of catheter-related bloodstream infection caused by a rare rapidly growing mycobacteria. These bacteria can be misdiagnosed as Gram-positive rods, so acid-fast staining is recommended when unidentified Gram-positive rods are detected in blood cultures.