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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Sequencing of Bacterial Microflora in Peripheral Blood: our Experience with HIV-infected Patients
Published on: June 11, 2011
[Infection due to Rhodococcus equi in HIV infected patients: four cases]
J Perez-Silvestre1, V Abril López de Medrano, E Ortega González
1Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario, Valencia, España. jopesilver@hotmail.com
Introduction:
Incidence of Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) infection is increasing parallel to a greater prevalence of immunosupressed patients. This study aims to describe clinico-epidemiological characteristics of R. equi infections in a single hospital.
Methods:
Retrospective, observational study that includes any patient diagnosed of R. equi infection during the 1999-2007 period. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics were recorded.
Results:
Four patients were diagnosed of R. equi infection, with a mean age of 37.75+/-9.94 years old. All of them were male, infected with human immunodeficiency virus, and showed severe immunosuppression (mean CD4+ lymphocyte count of 83+/-55.2 cells/microl). Respiratory symptoms and cavitary pulmonary lesions were constantly present. R. equi was always cultured in blood and respiratory secretions.
Conclusions:
R. equi infection is a rare disease that occurs predominantly in HIV infected patients, severely immunosuppressed patients and almost always causes cavitary pneumonia.
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