Rothia dentocariosa pneumonia in an immunocompromised patient.
An 84-year-old woman with acute myelocytic leukemia presented with fever and a left upper lobe infiltrate on chest x-ray. She failed to respond to initial broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and a transthoracic needle aspirate subsequently both grew Rothia dentocariosa, a gram-positive branching rod. The pneumonia resolved after prolonged treatment with Clindamycin. Rothia dentocariosa must be considered a cause of opportunistic pulmonary infection.
D000191:Actinomycetaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology*