Staphylococcus lugdunensis Urinary Tract Infection With Associated Neutropenic Fever

We present a 62-year-old woman with a history of uterine cancer status post-total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH-BSO) on paclitaxel, who presented to the emergency department febrile at 101.7 Fahrenheit and complaining of fatigue and urinary incontinence. Laboratory testing revealed neutropenia and urinalysis showed elevated bacteria with minimal white blood cells, and negative leukocyte and negative nitrites. Urine cultures ultimately showed Staphylococcus lugdunensis with negative blood cultures. S. lugdunensis is a less frequently speciated Staphylococcus and has been increasingly found due to advances in identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). S. lugdunensis are Gram-positive cocci, nonsporulating, nonmotile, facultatively anaerobic, catalase-positive, coagulase-negative, oxidase-negative, delta-hemolytic organism. Traditionally, it is seen in skin and soft-tissue infections, as well as vascular infections, however, has minimal occurrences in urinary tract infections. The risk of infection is increased in immunocompromised states and empiric treatment is warranted while waiting for definitive results. Our patient was started on cefepime, valacyclovir, fluconazole, and a single dose of vancomycin while in the emergency department. Worsening thrombocytopenia during her antibiotic course necessitated the re-evaluation of antibiotic agents which can cause thrombocytopenia. Subsequently, due to the patient’s improved clinical status, and low risk of severe outcome, fluconazole and valacyclovir were discontinued, and cefepime was changed to ceftriaxone.