Sphingomonas paucimobilis: An uncommon cause of meningitis

Abstract

Sphingomonas paucimobilis is a gram-negative bacillus. It is widespread in nature and in hospital environments; but it hardly causes life-threatening infections. In this report, a case of community-onset bacterial meningitis in an adolescent patient was presented. A previously healthy, 14-year old boy attended to our hospital with fever of two days, headache and vomiting. Based on the patient’s history, physical examination signs and laboratory results, he was hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis. The aerobic bacterial culture of the CSF yielded yellow pigmented, slow growing, oxidase and catalase positive colonies after 48 hours of incubation on Columbia sheep blood agar plates. The isolate was identified as S. paucimobilis by two identification systems. The patient recovered with no sequela. In the literature, there are very few reported cases of meningitis caused by S. paucimobilis. This agent can cause severe meningitis.