The Detection ofBergeyella zoohelcumin Young Children after Cat Bite

Bergeyella zoohelcumis an uncommon zoonotic pathogen typically associated with cat or dog bites. Previously, only 14 cases ofB. zoohelcuminfection have been reported. We isolated the bacteria from the face of a 2-year-old girl who was bitten by a cat. The organism was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequence, and phylogenetic analysise supported that this isolate was belong toB. zoohelcum. Due to the contradicts of culture characteristics ofB. zoohelcumwhich described in reported literatures, we used different media to culture the bacteria. After 24 h incubation, Colombia blood agar (CBA), Mueller-Hinton agar plate with 5% sheep blood and chocolate agar (CA) grew well, but blood agar (BA) grew well until 72 h. The strain did not grow on McConkey agar (MAC), Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) and chocolate agar (containing vancomycin). The low detection rate of this strain was related to its harsh growth conditions and the limitations of traditional identification techniques. With the popularization of MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA gene sequence and our further understanding of the fastidious bacteria, we will quickly and accurately identify theB. zoohelcum, meanwhile the detection rate of this bacterium will also be significantly improved. So that clinicians can achieve precise anti-infective treatment according to antimicrobial susceptibility testing.