TY - JOUR
T1 - Rhodococcus equi bacteremia with necrotizing pneumonia and brain abscess in a newly diagnosed HIV patient in Saudi Arabia
T2 - A case report and review of literature
AU - Alkhalifa, Wala
AU - Ali, Batool Abu
AU - AlDandan, Hassan
AU - Aljehani, Hosam
AU - Alwazzeh, Marwan
AU - Diab, Asim
N1 - Funding Information:
Nil.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - Rhodococcus equi is a Gram-positive coccobacillus that falls within the category of aerobic actinomycetes. The Rhodococcus genus belongs to the nocardioform bacteria group. This microorganism has been found in various settings, including natural environments, animals, and particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those living with HIV. Notably, there is an increasing number of reports concerning R. equi infections in transplant recipients and even individuals with a normally functioning immune system. Traditionally, R. equi has been primarily associated with pulmonary infections, but there is a growing body of evidence documenting its involvement in extrapulmonary infections. In this report, we present a case involving a newly diagnosed HIV patient who experienced R. equi -induced necrotizing pneumonia, bacteremia, and a brain abscess in newly diagnosed HIV patient. It is important to note that a direct Gram stain may potentially lead to misclassification of such microorganisms as contaminants. Microbiologists should therefore prioritize the careful examination of colony morphology, biochemical reactions, and consider the limitations of automated machine databases. Furthermore, they should correlate their identification findings with clinical data to ensure optimal patient care and management, especially in the context of an immunocompromised state.
AB - Rhodococcus equi is a Gram-positive coccobacillus that falls within the category of aerobic actinomycetes. The Rhodococcus genus belongs to the nocardioform bacteria group. This microorganism has been found in various settings, including natural environments, animals, and particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those living with HIV. Notably, there is an increasing number of reports concerning R. equi infections in transplant recipients and even individuals with a normally functioning immune system. Traditionally, R. equi has been primarily associated with pulmonary infections, but there is a growing body of evidence documenting its involvement in extrapulmonary infections. In this report, we present a case involving a newly diagnosed HIV patient who experienced R. equi -induced necrotizing pneumonia, bacteremia, and a brain abscess in newly diagnosed HIV patient. It is important to note that a direct Gram stain may potentially lead to misclassification of such microorganisms as contaminants. Microbiologists should therefore prioritize the careful examination of colony morphology, biochemical reactions, and consider the limitations of automated machine databases. Furthermore, they should correlate their identification findings with clinical data to ensure optimal patient care and management, especially in the context of an immunocompromised state.
KW - Bacteremia
KW - Brain abscess
KW - Misidentification
KW - Pneumonia
KW - Rhodococcus equi
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U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21953
DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21953
M3 - Article
C2 - 38034617
AN - SCOPUS:85176226031
SN - 2405-8440
VL - 9
SP - e21953
JO - Heliyon
JF - Heliyon
IS - 11
M1 - e21953
ER -