Persistently positive culture results in a patient with community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila

Persistently positive culture results in a patient with community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila

Tan J S; File T M; DiPersio J R; DiPersio L P; Hamor R; Saravolatz L D; Stout J E

Clinical Infectious Diseases

2001

2001-06

We describe a patient with community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 6. This patient was found to have bronchoalveolar carcinoma of the lung by means of cytologic testing in 1 of 2 bronchoalveolar lavage samples, but no lesions were visible on bronchoscopy. Despite intravenous administration of azithromycin to the patient, repeat culture and polymerase chain reaction showed persistence of Legionella; the isolates remained susceptible to azithromycin. The patient did not respond to 14 doses of daily intravenously administered azithromycin. The poor outcome may have been partially due to the suspected underlying lung malignancy, as shown by cytologic examination, and by a delay in seeking medical attention.

azithromycin; clarithromycin; erythromycin; hospitalized-patients; Immunology; Infectious Diseases; legionnaires-disease; macrolides; Microbiology; pcr; pharmacokinetics; time

Journal Article

Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

1562-1566

11

32