Kocuria species reporting -microbiologists dilemma

Abstract

Kocuria species have been reported as emerging human pathogens in recent times. It is mostly seen in compromised hosts with severe underlying disease. Increased reporting is most likely due to the availability of automated /better identification methods and may not be due to actual increase in incidence. However increased isolation and publication of case reports of their isolation has added to confusion in microbiology reporting. We are one of the largest tertiary care and teaching Institute in Asia and have isolated Kocuria species from Chronic liver disease patients. Sepsis and peritonitis caused by Kocuria species in our cases yielded identical Kocuria isolates from the peritoneal dialysate fluid within a period of six weeks. The infection was subsequently resolved by antibiotic treatment and catheter removal. On review of literature we found that the majority of cases were devicerelated, acquired in the hospital or endogenous and different Kocuria species appear to share a common etiology of peritonitis. Disease burden associated with Kocuria appears to be under reported. There are no specific treatment guidelines as yet for diseases asso