title: Life-threatening invasive Helcococcus kunzii infections in intravenous-drug users and ermA-mediated erythromycin resistance.
abstract: We report the first two cases of life-threatening invasive Helcococcus kunzii infection, with primary bacteremia and empyema thoracis, respectively. Gram smears of both H. kunzii isolates showed a mixture of gram-positive and gram-negative cocci. The isolate from the first patient, resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin, possessed an ermA gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. hkumicro@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Patrick C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Samson S Y
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Cindy W S
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Ami M Y
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Dorothy M W
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Susanna K P
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Kwok-yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D004917:Erythromycin; D008780:Methyltransferases; C431709:ErmA protein, Bacteria