In December 1999, a 51-year-old woman with abundant ascites and an irregular pelvic mass was referred to the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico of Aviano. Histologic examination of the pelvic mass revealed the presence of a poorly differentiated ovarian carcinoma. In January 2000, a permanent central venous catheter (CVC) was implanted and the patient began chemotherapy. In June 2000, after five courses of chemotherapy, the patient was readmitted for febrile neutropenia and sepsis. Complete clinical and microbiological diagnostic procedures were performed, and four pairs of blood specimens were collected from peripheral blood and the CVC for culture (both aerobic and anaerobic). A gram-positive microorganism identified as Kocuria kristinae grew from three samples cultured aerobically. The patient was empirically treated with meropenem; after the isolation of gram-positive cocci from the bloodstream, a glycopeptide was added, resulting in prompt clinical improvement. No further bacterial isolates were obtained from blood or other clinical samples. The patient was discharged from the hospital, but 1 month later she was readmitted to the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico of Aviano for another febrile episode. Among 11 blood specimens drawn from peripheral blood and the CVC, 7 specimens cultured aerobically again revealed K. kristinae; antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin and clindamycin was started, with resolution of fever and negativity of blood cultures. A third febrile episode occurred 1 month later. One of the two blood samples collected from the CVC and cultured aerobically yielded K. kristinae. The CVC was removed and sent to the microbiology laboratory; a gram-positive coccus, which was identified as K. kristinae, was isolated from the culture of the catheter tip. Soon after catheter removal the patient became afebrile and her clinical status improved. After 6 months of monitoring, the patient is alive and well and is in complete remission of the primary disease.