Actinomyces odontolyticus thoracopulmonary infections. Two cases in lung and heart-lung transplant recipients and a review of the literature

A G Bassiri; R E Girgis; J Theodore

doi:10.1378/chest.109.4.1109

Actinomyces odontolyticus thoracopulmonary infections. Two cases in lung and heart-lung transplant recipients and a review of the literature

Chest. 1996 Apr;109(4):1109-11. doi: 10.1378/chest.109.4.1109.

Authors

A G Bassiri¹, R E Girgis, J Theodore

Affiliation

¹ Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Calif., USA.

PMID: 8635341
DOI: 10.1378/chest.109.4.1109

Abstract

We present the first case of mediastinitis and the third case of pneumonia attributed to Actinomyces odontolyticus. The first patient presented 10 months after single-lung transplant with a subacute apical infiltrate in the native lung and responded to therapy with oral penicillin. The second patient developed pyogenic mediastinitis 25 days after a heart-lung transplant and required sternal debridement and intravenous penicillin. We also review the literature on thoracopulmonary infections due to A odontolyticus.

Publication types

Case Reports
Review

MeSH terms

Actinomycosis / diagnosis*
Actinomycosis / drug therapy
Administration, Oral
Adult
Debridement
Heart-Lung Transplantation / adverse effects
Humans
Injections, Intravenous
Lung Transplantation / adverse effects
Male
Mediastinitis / diagnosis
Mediastinitis / drug therapy
Mediastinitis / microbiology*
Middle Aged
Penicillin G / administration & dosage
Penicillin G / therapeutic use
Penicillin V / administration & dosage
Penicillin V / therapeutic use
Penicillins / administration & dosage
Penicillins / therapeutic use
Pneumonia, Bacterial / diagnosis*
Pneumonia, Bacterial / drug therapy
Sternum / surgery

Substances

Penicillins
Penicillin G
Penicillin V