Fatal Case of Burkholderia gladioli Pneumonia in a Patient With COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Burkholderia gladioli (B gladioli) is a rare, gram-negative rod that was initially regarded as a plant pathogen. However, B gladioli has been reported as the primary pathogen causing pneumonia in organ transplant recipients and in patients with cystic fibrosis. We report a case of bacterial pneumonia caused by B gladioli in a patient hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Case Report: A 68-year-old male was admitted for acute hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia. He was treated with dexamethasone and convalescent plasma, resulting in improvement in the hypoxemia. However, during the latter part of his inpatient stay, the patient developed pneumonia caused by B gladioli. The isolate of B gladioli was sensitive to meropenem, levofloxacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and intermediate to ceftazidime. He was treated with meropenem and levofloxacin. Despite treatment, the patient developed acute respiratory distress syndrome with multiorgan failure, suffered cardiac arrest, and died.

Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first report of B gladioli coinfection in a patient hospitalized for COVID-19 and provides insight into the possible detrimental outcome of B gladioli and COVID-19 coinfection.