bacterial infection during chemo

My 78 yo father is being treated for liver cancer. (Started with colon cancer. He had a colostomy.)  Earlier this year he developed an infection in the stent and it was removed. The MD sent a sample to have the bacteria cultured. Since then he has been getting chemo the regular way.  

Tuesday he developed a high fever again and was admitted to the hospital. His oncologist checked him in and left for a vacation so my parents are feeling lost trying to get information (and I am too far away).

My father said the doctor in the hospital told him it was "ramrod" bacteria. Of course that's not it, but I figure they name has to be something similar that my father is mis-interpreting. Anyone have any ideas what it could be?

[Kamal S Saini, MD, MRCP (UK), DM]

Hi,
Infective episodes are, unfortunately, quite common in patients on chemotherapy.
The doctors must have started your father on emperic antibiotics, and would have taken samples for culture ans sensitivity. Later, antiobiotics may be changed based on sensitivity pattern.
(Does "anaerobe" rhyme with "ramrod"??)
All the best, and God Bless!