Bacillus sp. sepsis associated with Hickman catheters in patients with neoplastic disease

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Abstract
Bacillus species other than Bacillus anthracis are frequently considered as saprophytes or contaminants when isolated from cultures of various sources. These organisms are usually gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming aerobes found in water, milk, food, air, soil and feces.1,2Bacillus sp. have been associated with serious infections in such variable clinical situations as operative procedures,3 traumatic wounds and burns,4 intermittent hemodialysis in patients with renal failure,5 parenteral drug abuse and endocarditis,6,7 blood transfusions and panophthalmitis,8 pneumonia and empyema as a primary condition or secondary to debilitating disease,9 osteomyelitis in a patient with sickle cell anemia and a history of heroin addiction10 and food poisoning.2 Also Bacillus infections were associated with prosthetic devices such as an Ommaya reservoir,11 an indwelling hepatic cannula,12 a ventriculoatrial shunt13 and a ventriculojugular shunt14 for hydrocephalus and a prosthetic cardiac valve and triple coronary bypass.15 In this study we report two cases of Bacillus sp. infection associated with Hickman catheters. The first case is a Bacillus cereus septicemia which occurred on two separate occasions in the same patient, and the second case is a Bacillus laterosporus septicemia which also occurred on two occasions.

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