Abstract
Background:
Burkholderia gladioli (B gladioli)
is a rare, gram-negative rod that was initially regarded as a plant pathogen. However,
B gladioli
has been reported as the primary pathogen causing pneumonia in organ transplant recipients and in patients with cystic fibrosis. We report a case of bacterial pneumonia caused by
B gladioli
in a patient hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Case Report:
A 68-year-old male was admitted for acute hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia. He was treated with dexamethasone and convalescent plasma, resulting in improvement in the hypoxemia. However, during the latter part of his inpatient stay, the patient developed pneumonia caused by
B gladioli
. The isolate of
B gladioli
was sensitive to meropenem, levofloxacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and intermediate to ceftazidime. He was treated with meropenem and levofloxacin. Despite treatment, the patient developed acute respiratory distress syndrome with multiorgan failure, suffered cardiac arrest, and died.
Conclusion:
To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first report of
B gladioli
coinfection in a patient hospitalized for COVID-19 and provides insight into the possible detrimental outcome of
B gladioli
and COVID-19 coinfection.