Carbapenem-resistant Lactobacillus intra-abdominal infection in a renal transplant recipient with a history of probiotic consumption.

BACKGROUND: Lactobacillus sp. is a low virulence bacterium, which rarely causes infection in immunocompetent individuals and usually is considered a contaminant. Normally this organism is susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics, yet resistant strains have been reported. CASE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION: Here, we report a case of a 60-year-old renal transplant recipient who developed an intra-abdominal abscess which grew a carbapenem-resistant Lactobacillus casei. This is significant since it is the first report of a clinical isolate of Lactobacillus sp. that demonstrated both microbiological and clinical resistance to carbapenem use. Moreover, the probiotic supplement that the patient had taken also grew a similar organism raising the concern of probiotic associated infection in immunocompromised individual.