Bacterium
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Multidrug-resistant nosocomial non-fermenter
sten-oh-troh-FOH-mo-nas mal-toh-FIL-ee-uh
High-yield clue
Non-fermenting Gram-negative rod that is oxidase negative and intrinsically resistant to carbapenems, unlike Pseudomonas.
Overview
An environmental non-fermenting Gram-negative rod studied as a healthcare-associated opportunist notable for broad intrinsic resistance, including to carbapenems.
Classification
- Gram-negative
- Rod
- Xanthomonadaceae
- Aerobe
- Non-fermenter
Lab & identification clues
- Oxidase negative vocabulary (contrast with Pseudomonas)
- DNase positive concept
- Lysine decarboxylase positive vocabulary
- Intrinsic carbapenem resistance framing
Associations
- Ventilator and catheter-associated infection vocabulary
- Immunocompromised and prior broad-spectrum exposure risk
- Multidrug-resistance public-health framing
Commonly confused with
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Burkholderia cepacia complex
Your notes
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.