Treatment refractory Stenotrophomonas maltophilia bacteraemia and pneumonia in a COVID-19-positive patient

Abstract

Stenotrophomonas maltophiliais an opportunistic pathogen that most often infects patients requiring mechanical ventilation, indwelling central venous catheters and broad-spectrum antibiotics. The reported incidence ofS. maltophiliainfection has increased over the past two decades, and many of its risk factors are commonly seen in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Our case regards a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, who subsequently developed disseminatedS. maltophiliainfection, refractory to first-line treatment and optimal medical management. This case highlights the high index of suspicion required for diagnosing secondary complications in patients with COVID-19 infection and highlights the difficulty in treating disseminatedS. maltophiliainfection in critically ill patients.