Clinical and microbiological characteristics of Eggerthella lenta causing bacteremia

Eggerthella lenta is an obligate anaerobic, Gram-positive bacilli, belonging to the human microbiota of gastrointestinal and female reproductive tracts, oral cavity and prostate gland. In this article, we aim to describe clinical and microbiological characteristics of seven E. lenta strains causing bacteremia. We conducted a descriptive retrospective study including all E. lenta strains causing bacteremia, from February 2019 to August 2023 at the Basurto University Hospital. Seven patients were included in the study with a mean age of 72.7 years. Six patients presented risk factors associated with bacterial infections. All patients were admitted to the hospital because of suspicious of bloodstream infection associated with abdominal symptoms for intravenous antibiotic treatment. Four E. lenta isolates were resistant to penicillin, while all isolates presented high MICs to piperacillin/tazobactam and low MICs to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. All patients recovered without no complications.