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Relapsing pneumococcal bacteremia in immunocompromised patients
T L Kuhls1, T P Viering, C T Leach
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City.
Abstract:
Relapse of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia after appropriate therapy is thought to be rare, even in immunocompromised patients. We describe three immunodeficient patients who experienced repeated episodes of pneumococcal bacteremia within 8 weeks after receiving appropriate therapy. Serotyping and DNA fingerprinting of respective isolates strongly suggested that each patient's bacteremic relapse was caused by the same pneumococcal strain. Relapsing and recurrent infections with an identical pneumococcal strain, especially in immunodeficient individuals, may be more common than is generally appreciated.
Insights
Relapse of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia is rare, but this study found repeated infections in three immunodeficient patients caused by the same bacterial strain. This suggests recurrent pneumococcal infections may be more common in immunocompromised individuals than previously believed.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia is a serious infection.
- Relapse of pneumococcal bacteremia after appropriate therapy is considered uncommon, even in immunocompromised patients.
Observation:
- Three immunodeficient patients experienced recurrent episodes of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia within eight weeks of completing therapy.
- Isolates from these repeated bacteremic episodes were analyzed using serotyping and DNA fingerprinting.
Findings:
- Genetic analysis confirmed that the same strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae caused each patient's recurrent bacteremic episodes.
- These findings indicate that relapse due to the identical pneumococcal strain occurred in these cases.
Implications:
- Recurrent or relapsing pneumococcal bacteremia caused by the same strain may be underestimated, particularly in immunocompromised populations.
- This highlights the need for careful monitoring and potentially adjusted treatment strategies for vulnerable patients.
- Further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms behind such relapses in immunodeficient individuals.