A case of Haemophilus parainfluenzae pneumonia.
A 41 year old woman presented with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) which failed to resolve following treatment with amoxycillin and cefaclor prior to referral. Quantitative culture of sputum revealed a pure growth of Haemophilus parainfluenzae and, following antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolate, ciprofloxacin was prescribed resulting in resolution of the infection. Immunological investigations showed that the patient had a high titre of H parainfluenzae specific IgM. The combination of a pure growth of H parainfluenzae, a response to appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and the presence of a specific antibody response indicated that this organism had a pathogenic role in the patient's pneumonia and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of CAP.
Pillai
A
A
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK.
Mitchell
J L
JL
Hill
S L
SL
Stockley
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation / Q000187:drug effects; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000737:chemistry; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006190:Haemophilus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein