A case of Sphingomonas paucimobilis causing peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis and review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis caused by Sphingomonas paucimobilis (S. paucimobilis) is very rare, and most of the characteristics of such cases are still unknown. Case presentation: An 80-year-old Japanese woman on PD was diagnosed with PD-associated peritonitis and received ceftazidime and cefazolin. The number of cells in the peritoneal dialysate decreased quickly. However, because S. paucimobilis was detected, the antibiotic was changed to meropenem according to the susceptibility test results. She was treated with meropenem for two weeks and discharged. After 21 days, she was hospitalized for relapsing peritonitis. S. paucimobilis was detected again, and improvement after the administration of meropenem was poor, eventually resulting in catheter removal. Conclusions: S. paucimobilis may be resistant to empirical antibiotics; furthermore, catheter removal may still be required, even with sensitive-antibiotic treatment.