Disseminated Rhodococcus equi infection in a kidney transplant patient without initial pulmonary involvement.
Rhodococcus equi is increasingly recognized as an opportunistic pathogen in solid organ transplant recipients. Primary pulmonary involvement is the most common finding. We report a case of a 42-year-old female kidney transplant recipient who developed multiple disseminated abscesses caused by R. equi while on adequate antimicrobial therapy. The patient presented with subcutaneous abscesses in the hip region and mamma and had 2 intracerebral abscesses. There were no clinical and radiologic signs of pulmonary involvement in contrast to most clinical cases described in the literature. R. equi was cultured from all abscesses. The patient died of progressive neurologic complications. Post mortem examination confirmed infection with R. equi and showed microscopic evidence of necrotizing pneumonia. This report shows that R. equi should be considered as a cause of infection in solid organ transplant recipients even without initial clinical and radiologic signs of pulmonary involvement. Despite adequate therapy, the outcome can be fatal.
Rahamat-Langendoen
Janette C
JC
Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen University, PO Box 30 001, 3700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands. j.c.rahamat@mmb.umcg.nl
van Meurs
Matijs
M
Zijlstra
Jan G
JG
Lo-Ten-Foe
Jerome R
JR
D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011859:Radiography; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents