Bacteremia and pyelonephritis caused by Lactobacillus jensenii in a patient with urolithiasis.

Abstract

• Vol 10 • February 2008 164 Lactobacillus is a common inhabitant of the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract. Some species are utilized as probiotic bacteria and were found effective in treating diarrhea and candidal vaginitis [1,2]. The clinical significance of Lactobacillus isolated from normally sterile sites is controversial: some authors regard it as a contaminant without clinical significance while others consider it a true pathogen [1]. Despite the opposing views, Lactobacillus has been implicated in severe infections such as bacteremia, endocarditis and vascular graft infection. The overall mortality rate in bacteremia is about 30% [1]. Lactobacillus bacteremia of renal origin is very unusual, since its presence in the urogenital tract is considered a protective factor against pathogenic bacterial colonization and even infection [3,4].