Isolation of Sphingomonas paucimobilis from an ocular infection and identification using ribosomal RNA gene: First case report from Iran

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE: Sphingomonas paucimobilis can cause infection in healthy people. As this bacterium is slow‐growing, special attention should be paid to the timely diagnosis and control of its antibiotic resistance to prevent the spread of resistant strains. ABSTRACT: This study reports a case of ocular infection caused by Sphingomonas paucimobilis and its treatment with various antibiotics. A middle‐aged woman with prolonged purulent eye discharge was admitted to an ophthalmology clinic in Qazvin, Iran. A strain of S. paucimobilis was isolated from the patient. The sample was identified by Sanger sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene, and an antibiogram test was performed to determine its resistance profile. The patient was treated with ceftazidime and levofloxacin eye drops. The bacterial culture was negative 18 days after starting ceftazidime and levofloxacin treatment. The antibiogram results showed that the isolated bacterium was resistant to aminoglycosides and colistin. This study highlights that S. paucimobilis can cause disease even in immunocompetent individuals. Due to the different resistance profiles of this bacterium, treatment should be based on antibiogram results.