title: Rhodococcus empyema in a heart transplant patient.
abstract: Rhodococcus equi is a rare cause of pneumonia and empyema almost exclusively occurring in immunocompromised patients. Most people who become infected have direct exposure to livestock. We present a case where the exposure was presumed to be through a family member in close contact with horses. Our case describes an infection in a heart transplant patient that was initially identified as a probable intra-abdominal infection and later reidentified as Rhodococcus equi empyema, and was treated with surgery and prolonged antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: VAMC, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: VAMC, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nord
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Medical Center Salt Lake City, Utah ; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanspa
keywords: Empyema; Rhodococcus equi; heart transplant; pneumonia