Peritonitis in type 2 diabetes mellitus due to Ochrobactrum anthropi complicating automated peritoneal dialysis

Epidemiology data predict that by the year 2025, diabetes will affect about 380 million people worldwide with a significant increase in patients with chronic renal disease progressing to hemodialysis. Diabetes-related peripheral vascular disease is a major risk factor for vascular access failure in patients on extracorporeal hemodialysis. Although peritoneal dialysis is a valid option for diabetics, peritonitis is still a main complication for these patients. We report the case of a 71-year-old type 2 diabetes patient treated by subcutaneous insulin, undergoing automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) who developed peritonitis and bloodstream infection by Ochrobactrum anthropi (O. anthropi). The patient was initially shifted to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and treated with intraperitoneal cefotaxime and gentamicin. According to antibiogram, cefotaxime was discontinued but lasting gentamicin. Within 48 h from admission, clear peritoneal effluent was observed with reduction in white blood cells count from 580/mm³ 77.9% neutrophils to less than 10/mm³. Prompt regression of infection without catheter removal and no relapse after over 7-month follow-up allowed supposing that O. anthropi did not colonized peritoneal catheter. O. anthropi is an emerging cause of nosocomial infection in immunocompromised patients. Cases of such infection in patients undergoing CAPD and hemodialysis have been already described. However, this is the first reported case of O. anthropi in a patient undergoing APD.