Recurrent penicillin-resistant pneumococcal sepsis after matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplantation for refractory...

Patients who undergo splenectomy and recipients of allogeneic marrow (alloBMT) or peripheral stem cell transplantation are at increased risk of overwhelming infection from encapsulated organisms such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis. As prophylaxis against these pathogens splenectomised patients are immunised and may also receive antibiotics for life. We report relapsing overwhelming sepsis caused by penicillin-resistant pneumococcus in a patient who was immunised and received prophylactic phenoxymethylpenicillin for 8 months following splenectomy and matched unrelated donor (MUD) marrow transplantation for refractory T cell lymphoma. No obvious focus of sepsis was found during any of the three episodes and S. pneumoniae serogroup 6, subtype 6B was isolated from blood cultures on each occasion. He was treated with i.v. cephalosporins, as the organisms were resistant to penicillin with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2.0, and there was complete resolution of symptoms each time. In the light of recurrent sepsis with this penicillin-resistant organism the decision was made to give prophylactic levofloxacin for the next 12 months. This case illustrates that the choice of prophylactic regimen and the treatment of sepsis in immunocompromised patients remain difficult and challenging issues.