The Spectrum of Colonization in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Pediatric and Adolescent Patients.

INTRODUCTION

organisms are rare, gram-positive, sugar-fermenting cocci, identifiable in tissues only by histologic examination or molecular testing. Since its discovery, the pathogenicity and relevance of in the human gastrointestinal tract has remained ill-defined. A recent literature review of 66 reported examples demonstrated the potential for severe complications such as emphysematous gastritis and gastric perforation. In pediatrics, colonization is associated with mucosal alterations and/or gastrointestinal dysmotility/obstruction with variable outcomes, including death secondary to gastric perforation. Yet, the features of colonization within the gastrointestinal tract of adolescents are poorly understood and rarely reported.

METHODS

We present the gastrointestinal histopathological findings and the complete history of 4 pediatric patients with colonization at our institution. Additionally a literature review with focus in the keywords "" and "gastrointestinal' was performed, and the clinical and histopathological features of all previously reported examples of Sarcina in the gastrointestinal tract of pediatric patients were summarized.

RESULTS

All 4 patients had delayed gastric emptying, 3 of them due to neurologic disease, and one with pyloric obstruction due to duodenal ulceration with gastritis. In the 3 patients with available esophageal biopsies, it was associated to esophagitis with increased intraepithelial eosinophils.

CONCLUSION

The potential pathogenicity of Sarcina colonization in the gastrointestinal tract of pediatric patients needs to be reevaluated. Due to potential serious complications, the identification of these organisms in the gastrointestinal tract sample should be reported and warrants further evaluation for possible gastrointestinal dysmotility or other mucosal alterations.