A case of severe cholangitis caused by raoultella planticola in a patient with pancreatic cancer

While Raoultella planticola is a rare cause of human infection, we experienced a case of severe cholangitis caused by R. planticola. A 75-year-old male patient with cancer of the pancreatic head was admitted and found to have cholangitis. Following performance of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for decompression and initiation of empirical antibiotics with cefotaxime and metronidazole. R. planticola, which was susceptible to cefotaxime, was isolated from both bile and blood. Despite administration of prompt and appropriate antibiotic therapy, the patient died 10 days after admission. We herein describe the first case of cholangitis caused by infection with R. planticola.