Rhodococcus equi infections in HIV late presenters: A case series and therapeutic challenges
Abstract
Introduction. Rhodococcus equi is a rare but clinically relevant
opportunistic pathogen, primarily affecting individuals with compromised
cellular immunity. In people living with HIV/AIDS, it typically manifests as
severe pulmonary disease. The objective of this case series is to describe
the clinical features, management, and outcomes of R. equi infection in
three men with advanced HIV/AIDS. Outlines of cases. We retrospectively
analyzed three cases of R. equi infection treated between 2004 and 2011 at
the Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University Clinical Center
Serbia, in Belgrade. All patients were men with CD4 counts below 50 cells/mL
at the time of presentation. Clinical symptoms included prolonged fever,
productive cough, weight loss, and malaise. Pulmonary involvement was
universal, with radiological findings of necrotizing pneumonia or cavitary
lung abscess. One patient developed cerebritis as an extrapulmonary
manifestation. R. equi was isolated from sputum in all three cases and from
blood cultures in two cases. All patients required prolonged hospitalization
and combination antibiotic therapy, including macrolides, carbapenems,
rifampicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with antiretroviral therapy
introduction. Two patients achieved long-term clinical stability, while one
had persistently low CD4 count and detectable viral load due to adherence
issues. Conclusion. Rhodococcus equi in patients with advanced HIV/AIDS may
cause severe pulmonary or…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 associated with proton pump inhibitors: a nationwide cohort study with propensity score matching
- Levofloxacin-Induced Tendon Rupture: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
- Association between cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and respiratory tract infections in the first 6 months of age in a Korean population: a birth cohort study (COCOA)
- Neuroprotective Effects of Epicatechin against Oxidative Stress-Induced Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Quality evaluation and in vitro interaction studies between levofloxacin 250mg and diclofenac sodium 50mg tablets
- Molecular Epidemiology of mcr-1 -Positive Polymyxin B-Resistant Escherichia coli Producing Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) in a Tertiary Hospital in Shandong, China
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.