Taxonomy
Family: Xantomonadaceae
Formerly: Pseudomonas maltophilia, Xanthomonas maltophilia

Malditof also has S. acidaminiphila, S. nitireducens, S. rhizophilia these are apathogenic

Natural habitat
In the environment, especially water and in the water from hospitals.

Does not belong to the normal flora of the human being.

Clinical significance
It is an important pathogen of nosocomial (hospital-acquired infections) which is associated with a substantial morbidity and mortality, especially in weakened or immune compromised patients on a respirator.
They are increasingly isolated.

They have been isolated in, bacteriemia, pneumonia, UTI, eye infections, endocarditis, meningitis, peritonitis, cholangitis and soft tissue infections.

S. maltophilia is also becoming more common in CF patients.