Rothia dentocariosa bacteremia in the newborn: causative pathogen or contaminant?

Abstract Objectives To describe an infrequent case of bacteremia by Rothia dentocariosa in a newborn and to discuss its potential pathogenicity. Case presentation R. dentocariosa is an aerobic or facultative anaerobic gram-positive bacillus, common in the human oral cavity that has been isolated in cases of endocarditis, pneumonia, endophthalmitis and peritonitis in adults. Infections in the fetus and newborn have been scarcely reported. We present a full-term newborn with prolonged rupture of membranes, acute elevation of C-reactive protein, and isolation of R. dentocariosa in the blood culture. Endocarditis was ruled out and the patient did well with five days of intravenous broad spectrum antibiotics. To date, only a previous case of sepsis by R. dentocariosa in a neonate with meconium aspiration syndrome and an antenatal death of a full-term fetus with hemorrhagic brain lesions probably related to R. dentocariosa have been reported. Conclusions Until more information about the pathogenicity of this germ in the newborn is available, an individualized approach and a close clinical control of the patient with infectious risk factors and bacteremia by R. dentocariosa seem to be prudent.