A Patient with autoimmune hepatitis and transverse myelitis presented with persistent Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, the discrepancies in assessing susceptibility; VISA versus Non-VISA

Abstract

Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) is still uncommon among MRSA isolates. In our region, we rarely encounter a case of VISA and/or GISA bacteremia. Here, we report a man who suffered from autoimmune hepatitis on immunosuppressive therapy and thoracic transverse myelitis suspected to be due to polyomavirus infection; he developed persistent MRSA blood stream infection, PVL-positive and MLST clonal complex 88 which is reported most commonly from Africa. A strain with Vancomycin susceptibility of 4 – 6 µg/ml (VISA) was initially identified, retested again elsewhere and showed MIC of 2µg/ml and Teicoplanin susceptibility of 4µg/ml. Treatment failure occurred while attaining higher serum vancomycin levels than recommended and died.