Infection with CDC group DF-2 gram-negative rod: report of two cases.

Two patients had bacteremia with Center for Disease Control group DF-2 Gram-negative rods. Previously described patients infected with this organism had clinical syndromes including cellulitis, meningitis, and endocarditis, and generally were severely ill. One of our patients had acute oligoarticular arthritis. The other had fever, headache, malaise, and a generalized rash. In neither case was bacterial infection considered likely at onset, and neither patient received antibiotic therapy. Both patients recovered completely. The organism is a fastidious Gram-negative rod that only recently has been characterized. Methods for isolating and identifying the organism are reviewed. The spectrum and frequency of illnesses caused by this organism are probably greater than previously recognized.