PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 1856905

Lung abscess caused by Rhodococcus equi.

J E Takasugi·J D Godwin
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

In the immunocompromised patient, early diagnosis of a lung cavity is essential for appropriate treatment. Rhodococcus equi (formerly Corynebacterium equi) is a variably acid-fast bacterium that can produce cavitary disease in an immunocompromised host. The two cases presented here demonstrate the clinical and radiographic features of R equi lung abscess. The first patient was on long-term corticosteroid therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. The second patient had AIDS. The correct diagnosis in both cases was delayed because acid-fast bacilli seen on smears of sputum were presumed to be Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Explore related subjects

Actinomycetales InfectionsAdultArthritis, RheumatoidFemaleHIV SeropositivityHumansLung AbscessMaleMiddle AgedPulmonary FibrosisRhodococcusCase ReportsJournal Article

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

J E Takasugi, J D Godwin. 1991. Lung abscess caused by Rhodococcus equi.. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005382-199104000-00016

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

The effects of intravaginal clindamycin and metronidazole therapy on vaginal mobiluncus morphotypes in patients with bacterial vaginosis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of treatments for bacterial vaginosis (BV) on vaginal Mobiluncus morphotypes. STUDY DESIGN: Analyses were performed on Mobiluncus scores from similarly conducted studies evaluating clindamycin vaginal single-dose cream (CVSDC) or metronidazole vaginal gel (MVG) in 55 patients with BV and with Mobiluncus morphotypes at baseline. RESULTS: Both treatment groups demonstrated significant reductions in Mobiluncus score. However, the Mobiluncus score at test-of-cure was lower in the CVSDC than in the MVG group (P=0.0471). More patients in the CVSDC group than in the MVG group achieved microbiologic (57.5% vs. 26.7%; P=0.04), clinical (57.5% vs. 26.7%; P=0.04), and therapeutic cures of BV (45.0% vs. 20.0%; P=0.09). CONCLUSION: Clindamycin reduces vaginal Mobiluncus morphotypes to a greater extent than metronidazole in patients with BV; this correlates with a higher BV cure rate.

Actinomycetales Infections↗
PubMed2007

Evaluation of fecal samples from mares as a source of Rhodococcus equi for their foals by use of quantitative bacteriologic culture and colony immunoblot analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mares are a clinically important source of Rhodococcus equi for their foals. SAMPLE POPULATION: 171 mares and 171 foals from a farm in Kentucky (evaluated during 2004 and 2005). PROCEDURES: At 4 time points (2 before and 2 after parturition), the total concentration of R equi and concentration of virulent R equi were determined in fecal specimens from mares by use of quantitative bacteriologic culture and a colony immunoblot technique, respectively. These concentrations for mares of foals that developed R equi-associated pneumonia and for mares with unaffected foals were compared. Data for each year were analyzed separately. RESULTS: R equi-associated pneumonia developed in 53 of 171 (31%) foals. Fecal shedding of virulent R equi was detected in at least 1 time point for every mare; bacteriologic culture results were positive for 62 of 171 (36%) mares at all time points. However, compared with dams of unaffected foals, fecal concentrations of total or virulent R equi in dams of foals with R equi-associated pneumonia were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that dams of foals with R equi-associated pneumonia did not shed more R equi in feces than dams of unaffected foals; therefore, R equi infection in foals was not associated with comparatively greater fecal shedding by their dams. However, detection of virulent R equi in the feces of all mares during at least 1 time point suggests that mares can be an important source of R equi for the surrounding environment.

Actinomycetales Infections↗
PubMed2007

Mutation and virulence assessment of chromosomal genes of Rhodococcus equi 103.

Rhodococcus equi can cause severe or fatal pneumonia in foals as well as in immunocompromised animals and humans. Its ability to persist in macrophages is fundamental to how it causes disease, but the basis of this is poorly understood. To examine further the general application of a recently developed system of targeted gene mutation and to assess the importance of different genes in resistance to innate immune defenses, we disrupted the genes encoding high-temperature requirement A (htrA), nitrate reductase (narG), peptidase D (pepD), phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide synthase (purC), and superoxide dismutase (sodC) in strain 103 of R. equi using a double-crossover homologous recombination approach. Virulence testing by clearance after intravenous injection in mice showed that the htrA and narG mutants were fully attenuated, the purC and sodC mutants were unchanged, and the pepD mutant was slightly attenuated. Complementation with the pREM shuttle plasmid restored the virulence of the htrA and pepD mutants but not that of the narG mutant. A single-crossover mutation approach was simpler and faster than the double-crossover homologous recombination technique and was used to obtain mutations in 6 other genes potentially involved in virulence (clpB, fadD8, fbpB, glnA1, regX3, and sigF). These mutants were not attenuated in the mouse clearance assay. We were not able to obtain mutants for genesfurA, galE, and sigE using the single-crossover mutation approach. In summary, the targeted-mutation system had general applicability but was not always completely successful, perhaps because some genes are essential under the growth conditions used or because the success of mutation depends on the target genes.

Actinomycetales Infections↗