title: Relapsing pneumococcal bacteremia in immunocompromised patients.
abstract: Relapse of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia after appropriate therapy is thought to be rare, even in immunocompromised patients. We describe three immunodeficient patients who experienced repeated episodes of pneumococcal bacteremia within 8 weeks after receiving appropriate therapy. Serotyping and DNA fingerprinting of respective isolates strongly suggested that each patient's bacteremic relapse was caused by the same pneumococcal strain. Relapsing and recurrent infections with an identical pneumococcal strain, especially in immunodeficient individuals, may be more common than is generally appreciated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kuhls
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Viering
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Haglund
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Fine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003720:Densitometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial