Open AccessR hodococcus empyema in a heart transplant patient
Author(s) -
Rose Richard,
Nord John,
Lanspa Michael
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
respirology case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 2051-3380
DOI - 10.1002/rcr2.43
Subject(s) - rhodococcus equi , empyema , medicine , pneumonia , heart transplantation , antibiotics , surgery , intensive care medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , transplantation , virulence , biology , biochemistry , gene
R hodococcus equi is a rare cause of pneumonia and empyema almost exclusively occurring in immunocompromised patients. Most people who become infected have direct exposure to livestock. We present a case where the exposure was presumed to be through a family member in close contact with horses. Our case describes an infection in a heart transplant patient that was initially identified as a probable intra‐abdominal infection and later reidentified as R hodococcus equi empyema, and was treated with surgery and prolonged antibiotics.