Raoultella planticola Urinary Tract Infection Presenting as Hyperbilirubinemia in a 3-Day-Old Infant

Raoultella planticola is a Gram-negative, aerobic, nonmotile bacterium that is ubiquitous in the environment usually implicated in opportunistic infections. There have been very few reported cases of Raoultella planticola infection in the pediatric population. Most of these reports have been in cases of neonatal septicemia. This case report describes a case of a 3-day-old Hispanic full-term male that presented with recalcitrant hyperbilirubinemia despite maximal phototherapy found to have urinary tract infection with Raoultella planticola on multiple cultures. The patient's hyperbilirubinemia appropriately responded to treatment of the UTI. This report highlights that, albeit rare, neonatal UTI can present as recalcitrant hyperbilirubinemia. Raoultella planticola is a rare organism that is normally found in the environment but may be a bona fide etiologic agent in neonatal UTI.