Ochrobactrum intermedium Bacteraemia in COVID-19 Positive Patients: Case Report of Rare Co-infection from Northern India

Abstract

Ochrobactrum intermedium (O. intermedium) is a novel emerging gram negative bacillus infecting immunocompromised hosts. It is known for its multidrug resistance and to distinguish it from other species of Ochrobactrum genus by conventional methods, is often difficult. Here, authors report two unusual and interesting cases of bacterial infection due to O. intermedium in a 28-yearold female and 46-year-old male having Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection. Rapid identification by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Time Of Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and patient’s treatment guided by antibiotic sensitivity yielded in favourable outcome. Present report describes clinical and microbiological characteristics of this rare pathogen and also highlights the need of automated methods for proper identification of such opportunistic pathogens and their unique antibiotic susceptibility profiles.