Agrobacterium yellow group: bacteremia and possible septic arthritis following peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

A 47-year-old male patient developed sepsis and monoarticular arthritis following autologous stem cell transplantation for recurrent Hodgkin's disease. Blood cultures were positive for Agrobacterium yellow group. The knee pain and swelling responded promptly to the institution of empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics. Recurrent bacteremia developed necessitating Hickman line removal for eventual resolution of the infection. Transplant physicians should be aware of this unusual pathogen and the potential for both persistent line-related sepsis and possible septic arthritis.