Chronic suppurative otitis media due to Streptomyces cacaoi, the second case report in human infection

Lu Ai,Pingjuan Liu,Han Huang,Jianyu Huang,Yili Chen,Zhongwen Wu

doi:10.1186/s12879-020-05222-0

Abstract

BackgroundStreptomyces cacaoi, Gram-positive, branched, filamentous bacillus forms without fragmentation, are saprophytic soil organisms rarely known to cause invasive infections other than mycetoma. Here we describe a case of chronic suppurative otitis media caused by Streptomyces cacaoi in a patient with hyperlipidemia in China.Case presentationA 62-year-old female patient with hyperlipidemia suffered chronic suppurative otitis media caused by Streptomyces cacaoi. She had a favorable outcome with a 4-week course of ofloxacin ear drops.ConclusionsStreptomyces cacaoi is rarely reported to cause human infection. The introduction of molecular techniques improves the ability to identify rare species such as Streptomyces considerably. We report the case improve our ability to identify this pathogen and expand the range of known bacterial causes of human infection.

Highlights

Streptomyces cacaoi, Gram-positive, branched, filamentous bacillus forms without fragmentation, are saprophytic soil organisms rarely known to cause invasive infections other than mycetoma
We describe a case of chronic suppurative otitis media caused by Streptomyces cacaoi in a patient with hyperlipidemia in China, tending to improve our capacity to identify this isolate and widen the field of known bacterial causes of human infection
The Streptomycetes are classified as a separate genus within the aerobic actinomycetes, most well known for the approximately 600 different species [3]

Summary

Introduction

Streptomyces cacaoi, Gram-positive, branched, filamentous bacillus forms without fragmentation, are saprophytic soil organisms rarely known to cause invasive infections other than mycetoma. Background Streptomyces cacaoi, classified among the aerobic actinomycetes, presented Gram-positive, branched, filamentous bacillus forms without fragmentation with optimum growth at 35 °C [1]. Ubiquitous nature and the low pathogenicity of Streptomyces organisms make most clinical isolates contaminants or colonizers [2, 3].

Results

Conclusion