A Case of Bacteremia and Septic Thrombophlebitis Caused by an Infusion Set Contaminated with Bacillus cereus

Abstract

A 48-year-old man with Fisher syndrome was admitted to our hospital for amino acid-containing peripheral parenteral nutrition. On day 19 of his hospital stay, he became febrile and Bacillus cereus was isolated from blood cultures. Vancomycin was administered, and the entire infusion set was replaced. The cultures were prepared from the infusion set. B. cereus was detected in several connectors and hubs, although catheter tip culture was negative. Echocardiography revealed cephalic venous thrombophlebitis. In cases with no improvement despite effective antibiotic use, clinicians should consider the possibility that the infusion set might have become contaminated.