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Published on: July 11, 2016

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections

M Cecilia Dignani1, Monica Grazziutti, Elias Anaissie

  • 1FUNDALEU, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|August 10, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a gram-negative bacterium, causes difficult-to-treat hospital-acquired infections, often in vulnerable patients. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the preferred treatment, with combination therapy potentially beneficial for severe cases.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a ubiquitous Gram-negative bacterium.
  • It is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Exposure often occurs via contaminated environmental water sources, leading to nosocomial outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical significance of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections.
  • To discuss the challenges in treating these infections due to antimicrobial resistance.
  • To highlight effective therapeutic strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of in vitro and clinical data on Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.
  • Analysis of treatment outcomes for various infections.
  • Evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

Main Results:

  • S. maltophilia infections manifest as pneumonia, bacteremia, skin/soft tissue infections, UTIs, and endocarditis.
  • The organism exhibits resistance to many common hospital-acquired infection agents.
  • Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole demonstrated efficacy as the primary treatment agent.
  • Beta-lactamase inhibitors like clavulanate showed activity.

Conclusions:

  • Stenotrophomonas maltophilia poses a significant challenge in healthcare settings.
  • Effective treatment relies on appropriate antimicrobial selection, with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole being the agent of choice.
  • Combination therapy may be necessary for severe S. maltophilia infections.

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