Isolation of Shewanella algae from pleural exudate of patient with pneumonia

AIM: Clinical-microbiological description of the first case in Russia of isolation of S. algae bacteria from clinical material. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient P., 23 years of age, diagnosis: right-sided distal pneumonia, severe course; parapneumonic empyema of pleura. Bacteria isolation, cultural and biochemical tests differentiating S. algae and Shewanella putrefaciens were performed according to Holt H.M. et al., 2005. Identification of bacteria, tests of sensitivity to antibiotics were carried out by automatic system Vitek 2 (bioMerieux) and additionally by disc-diffusion method. RESULTS: S. algae in association with Serratia marcescens were isolated from pleural exudate of the patient with pneumonia. S. algae bacteria had typical taxonomical features and pathogenicity factors (lipase, gelatinase, beta-hemolysin); were resistant to benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin, cefazolin and sensitive to other beta-lactam antibiotics, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, tetracycline. CONCLUSION: S. algae bacteria isolated from pleural exudate of the patient with pneumonia are etiologically significant in parapneumonic empyema of pleura.