Genomic evidence implicates patient-room showers in Mycobacterium llatzerense bacteremia among two cord blood transplant recipients.
Kazuki Furuhashi, Osanori Nagura, Tatsuhiro Deshita et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
Two cord blood transplant recipients developed persistent fever despite broad-spectrum therapy, with blood cultures eventually growing acid-fast bacilli. Sequencing identified Mycobacterium llatzerense. Environmental sampling found the organism in shower water and showerhead biofilms in both patient rooms, and genomic analyses showed high similarity between patient and environmental isolates, implicating the showers as the likely source. Both patients defervesced and were cured after central-line removal and combination therapy with agents active against rapidly growing mycobacteria.
What made this case unusual
Genomic comparison linked the bloodstream isolates to M. llatzerense recovered from shower water and showerhead biofilms in the patients’ rooms, pointing to a potential hospital water source.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In a transplant recipient with persistent fever and blood cultures positive for acid-fast bacilli, consider M. llatzerense and use molecular methods for identification.
Why it matters
The environmental findings support attention to hospital water systems as a possible source of infection in transplant units.