Fatal pulmonary infection associated with a novel organism, "para-streptomyces abscessus".
Actinomycetes are increasingly recognized as pathogenic in the immunocompromised host. We isolated an asporogenous, nonmotile, aerobic gram-positive rod from a transplant recipient with a fatal pulmonary infection. The pathology was similar to that associated with Rhodococcus equi, including intra-histiocytic localization. The organism was relatively inert in standard biochemical tests. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated a potentially unique organism most closely related to the genus Streptomyces, for which we propose the name "Para-streptomyces abscessus."
Nichols
W Garrett
WG
Program in Infectious Diseases, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Prentice
Jennifer
J
Houze
Yolanda
Y
Carlson
LaDonna
L
Cookson
Brad T
BT
D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013306:Streptomycetaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S