A Case of Nosocomial Outbreak of Pantoea agglomerans Related to Parenteral Nutrition Procedures

Pantoea agglomerans is a Gram-negative bacterium that infrequently infects humans. Most reports involving it are about infections in soft tissues or bone/joint infections caused by contamination from soil or penetrating trauma by vegetation, such as thorns and splinters. More frequently, it is found as an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. It is not rare to find reports of bacteremia and sepsis from contamination of intravenous fluid, parenteral nutrition, blood products and anesthetic agents—that is, through contamination of medical devices and products. We reported a bacterial infection epidemic occurred in 2011 in a hospital in middle Italy which involved different hospital wards; Pantoea agglomerans was isolated from blood cultures of all infected patients and the source of infection was identified in contaminated parenteral nutrition prepared from the local pharmacy.