title: Rhodococcus equi peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
abstract: The human Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) infection is now emerging, although extrapulmonary manifestation and isolation from patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains unusual. Considerable effort is required to correctly identify and diagnose this facultative pathogen in patients with peritonitis in end-stage renal failure (ESRF) on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). In the six cases of R. equi CAPD peritonitis reported in this series, diagnoses were made, on average, after 15 days and prolonged antibiotic therapy with morbidity in two patients. A diagnosis of R. equi should be considered in patients with suspected diphtheroid or Nocardia CAPD peritonitis, even with no history of animal contact. This study is the largest series on R. equi CAPD peritonitis and highlights the impact of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kai Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Cheuk Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Szeto
authors.forename: Viola Chi-Ying
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Teresa Yuk-Hwa
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Philip Kam-Tao
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D016929:Rhodococcus equi