Premium
Cavitary pneumonia due to Rhodococcus equi in a heart transplant recipient
Author(s) -
Kwak E.J.,
Strollo D.C.,
Kulich S.M.,
Kusne S.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
transplant infectious disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1399-3062
pISSN - 1398-2273
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-3062.2003.02001.x
Subject(s) - medicine , rhodococcus equi , pneumonia , bacteremia , minocycline , ciprofloxacin , vancomycin , imipenem , pathogen , antibiotics , intensive care medicine , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcus aureus , virulence , antibiotic resistance , bacteria , biochemistry , chemistry , genetics , biology , gene
Rhodococcus equi is an uncommon human pathogen that usually affects immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 68‐year‐old male heart transplant recipient, who developed rhodococcal pneumonia with secondary bacteremia 10 months post‐transplant. The patient was a retired carpenter who was involved in breeding of horses. He responded completely to the treatment with vancomycin and imipenem/cilastin, followed by oral ciprofloxacin and minocycline for total treatment duration of 5 months. This case highlights the association between an animal exposure and infection with a unique opportunistic pathogen.