Abstract
leading hypothesis.However, H. cinaedi is an enterohepatic bacterium, and the patient had undergone surgery for an adhesive small intestinal obstruction 1 month before.Her medical and surgical history might have increased the intraintestinal pressure and induced the hepatic cyst infection through biliary reflux.The patient had schizophrenia but was not immunocompromised beyond her surgical history.Many cases of H. cinaedi infection have been reported in immunocompromised hosts (2), but reports of H. cinaedi infections in immunocompetent patients have been increasing (3).Matsumoto et al. showed that H. cinaedi bacteremia was found in only 0.06% of total blood samples (4); none of the patients in their study were HIV-positive, but many were immunocompromised by other conditions.Kiehlbauch et al. also conducted a retrospective study of H. cinaedi bacteremia and found that 45% of patients were HIV-positive (5).H. cinaedi infection can occur regardless of a patient's immunologic or environmental status.H. cinaedi infections are often reported in Japan.Miyake et al. reported that the H. cinaedi detection rate has increased after introduction of the BACTEC system (6).We also used BACTEC bottles.The widespread use of this type of blood culture bottle throughout Japan might contribute to the positivity rate of H. cinaedi.We report a case of H. cinaedi hepatic cyst infection with bacteremia.H. cinaedi infection can occur in both nosocomial and community-acquired situations and in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients; its manifestations vary quite widely.Although the positivity rate of H. cinaedi is very low, it might still be overlooked.Further research is warranted to identify the epidemiologic and clinical features of H. cinaedi infection.