Bacteremia caused by a novel species of Sphingobacterium.

A Gram-negative rod was isolated from the blood cultures of an 84-year-old man with foot cellulitis. The bacterium was first identified as Sphingobacterium spiritivorum on the basis of standard assimilation tests. However, sequencing analysis of its 16S rRNA genes and whole genome hybridization studies with other related bacteria showed that this isolate belongs to a so far undescribed species of Sphingobacterium, close to S. mizutae. This bacterium was susceptible to most of the antibiotics tested, including glycopeptides, but was resistant to aminoglycosides and polymyxins. Treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate cured the infection.