A Rare Case of Ralstonia pickettii Infection in a Patient Undergoing Thyroid Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: The incidence of infection by Ralstonia is increasing. Several reports describing infection by these bacteria in immunocompromised patients have been published. In this study, we reported a case of Ralstonia pickettii infection in a patient with normal immunity. Case Presentation: A woman presented with fever after thyroid surgery. We identified R. pickettii in her blood culture using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The patient’s condition improved clinically upon treatment with levofloxacin. Conclusions: Our report highlights the potential of Ralstonia to cause sepsis in patients with normal immunity and emphasizes the importance of blood culture testing when a hospitalized patient has an unexplained high fever.