Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Osteomyelitis caused by Rhodococcus equi in a renal transplant recipient

Rhodococcus equi Osteomyelitis bei einem Nierentransplantatempfänger

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Infection Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

We report the first case of osteomyelitis due toRhodococcus equi, which occurred in a renal transplant patient. Infection with this organism is rare and usually causes a distinct clinical syndrome resembling pulmonary tuberculosis. We investigated by time-kill curve analysis various antimicrobial combinations forin vitro efficacy. The literature is briefly reviewed, and aspects of diagnosis and therapy are discussed.

Zusammenfassung

Wir berichten über den ersten Fall vonRhodococcus equi-Osteomyelitis, der bei einem Nierentransplantatempfänger auftrat. Infektionen mit diesem Erreger sind selten, meistens verursacht er ein klinisches Syndrom, das der Lungentuberkulose ähnelt. DieIn-vitro-Wirksamkeit verschiedener Kombinationen antimikrobieller Substanzen wurde durch Analyse von Abtötungskurven bestimmt. Es wird eine kurze Literaturübersicht gegeben und diagnostische und therapeutische Fragen werden diskutiert.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature

  1. Coyle, M. B., Hollis, D. G., Groman, N. B. Corynebacterium spp. and other coryneform organisms. In:Lenette, E. H., Balows, A., Hansler, W. J., Shadomy, H. J. (eds. Manual of clinical microbiology. American Society of Microbiology, Washington D.C. 1985, pp. 193–204.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Jones, R. M., Darey, A. L., Gavan, T. L., Washington, J. A. Susceptibility tests: Microdilution and macrodilution broth procedures. In:Lenette, E. H., Balows, A., Hansler, W. J., Shadomy, H. J. (eds. Manual of clinical microbiology. American Society of Microbiology, Washington D. C. 1985, pp. 972–977.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Woolcock, J. B., Mutimer, M. D. Corynebacterium equi: In vitro susceptibility to twenty-six antimicrobial agents. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 18 (1980) 976–77.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Prescott, J. F., Nicholson, V. M. The effects of combinations of selected antibiotics on the growth ofCorynebacterium equi. J. Vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 7 (1984) 61–64.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Savdie, E., Pigott, P., Jennis, F. Lung abscess due toCorynebacterium equi in a renal transplant recipient. Med. J. Australia 1 (1977) 817–819.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Krogstad, D. J., Moellering, R. C. Antimicrobial combinations. In:Lorian, V. (ed.): Antibiotics in laboratory medicine (2nd Ed.), Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore 1986, pp. 546–548.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Moellering, R. C., Wennersten, C., Weinberg, A. N. Studies on antibiotic synergism against enterococci. I. Bacteriologic studies. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 77 (1971) 821–828.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Golub, B., Falk, G., Spink, W. W. Lung abscess due toCorynebacterium equi: report of first human infection. Ann. Intern. Med. 66 (1967) 1174–77.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Van Etta, L. L., Filice, G. A., Ferguson, R. M., Gerding, D. N. Corynebacterium equi: A review of 12 cases of human infection. Rev. Infect. Dis. 5 (1983) 1012–1018.

    Google Scholar 

  10. MacGregor, J. H., Samuelson, W. M., Sane, D. C., Godwin, J. D. Opportunistic lung infection caused byRhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi. Radiology 160 (1986) 83–84.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Samies, J. H., Hathaway, B. N., Echols, R. M., Veazey, J. M., Pilon, V. A. Lung abscess due toCorynebacterium equi: report of the first case in a patient with AIDS. Am. J. Med. 80 (1986) 685–688.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sane, D. C., Durack, D. T. Infection withRhodococcus equi in AIDS. New Engl. J. Med. 314 (1986) 56–7.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kunke, P. J. Serious infection in an AIDS patient due toRhodococcus equi. Clin. Micro. Newsl. 9 (20) (1987) 163–164.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sonnet, J., Wauters, G., Zech, F., Gigi, J. OpportunisticRhodococcus equi infection in an African AIDS case (1976–1981). Acta Clin. Belg. 42 (3) (1987) 215–216.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Thomsen, V. F., Henriques, U., Magnusson, M. Corynebacterium equi Magnusson isolated from a tuberculoid lesion in a child with adenitis colli. Danish Med. Bull. 15 (1968) 135–138.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lebar, W. D., Pensler, M. I. Pleural effusion due toRhodococcus equi. J. Infect. Dis. 154 (1986) 919–20.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Marsh, J. C., von Graevenitz, A. RecurrentCorynebacterium equi infection with lymphoma. Cancer 32 (1973) 147–149.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Berg, R., Chmel, H., Mayo, J., Armstrong, D. Corynebacterium equi infection complicating neoplastic disease. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 68 (1977) 73–77.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Carpenter, J. L., Blom, J. Corynebacterium equi pneumonia in a patient with Hodgkin's Disease. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 114 (1976) 235–239.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gardner, S. E., Pearson, T., Hughes, W. T. Pneumonitis due toCorynebacterium equi. Chest. 70 (1976) 92–94.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Williams, G. D., Flanigan, W. J., Campbell, G. S. Surgical management of localized thoracic infections in immunosuppressed patients. Ann. Thoracic Surg. 12 (1971) 471–480.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine Box 6998, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Illinois College of Medicine, m/c 787, 840 S. Wood St., 60612, Chicago, IL, USA

    R. M. Novak M.D.

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, 446 CMW, m/c 847, 1853 W. Polk St., 60612, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.

    Ellen L. Polisky M.D.

  3. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, 690 CME, m/c 518, 808 S. Wood St., 60612, Chicago, IL, USA

    W. M. Janda Ph.D.

  4. Section of Infectious Diseases, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S. First Ave., 60153, Maywood, IL, USA

    Claudia R. Libertin M.D.

Authors
  1. R. M. Novak M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ellen L. Polisky M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. M. Janda Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Claudia R. Libertin M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Novak, R.M., Polisky, E.L., Janda, W.M. et al. Osteomyelitis caused by Rhodococcus equi in a renal transplant recipient. Infection 16, 186–188 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01644100

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01644100

Keywords

Search

Navigation