Rhodococcus equi infections in HIV late presenters – a case series and therapeutic challenges

Abstract

Introduction Rhodococcus equi is a rare but clinically relevant opportunistic pathogen, primarily affecting individuals with compromised cellular immunity. In people living with HIV/AIDS, it typically manifests as severe pulmonary disease. The objective of this case series is to describe the clinical features, management, and outcomes of Rhodococcus equi infection in three men with advanced HIV/AIDS.

Outlines of cases We retrospectively analyzed three cases of Rhodococcus equi infection treated between 2004 and 2011 at the Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University Clinical Center of Serbia, in Belgrade. All patients were men with CD4 counts below 50 cells/mL at the time of presentation. Clinical symptoms included prolonged fever, productive cough, weight loss, and malaise. Pulmonary involvement was universal, with radiological findings of necrotizing pneumonia or cavitary lung abscess. One patient developed cerebritis as an extrapulmonary manifestation. Rhodococcus equi was isolated from sputum in all three cases and from blood cultures in two cases. All patients required prolonged hospitalization and combination antibiotic therapy, including macrolides, carbapenems, rifampicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with antiretroviral therapy introduction. Two patients achieved long-term clinical stability, while one had persistently low CD4 count and detectable viral load due to adherence issues.

Conclusion Rhodococcus equi in patients with advanced HIV/AIDS may cause severe pulmonary or disseminated disease. Early recognition, tailored antimicrobial regimens, and careful timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation are critical to improve outcomes in this population.

Keywords: Rhodococcus equi; HIV; AIDS; opportunistic infections; pulmonary infection; antimicrobial therapy