Pneumonitis associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum in children with cancer

Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Jan 15;36(2):225-8. doi: 10.1086/345667. Epub 2002 Dec 31.

Abstract

We describe 3 pediatric patients with cancer who had clinical and radiographic evidence of pneumonitis and for whom cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens yielded Ureaplasma urealyticum. Two of the patients died; for the surviving patient, clinical improvement coincided temporally with administration of erythromycin. Immunocompromised patients with pneumonitis of unclear etiology should have respiratory secretions cultured for mycoplasmas and should receive empiric therapy that includes a macrolide antibiotic.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Erythromycin / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Neoplasms / complications*
  • Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / complications
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / microbiology*
  • Ureaplasma urealyticum* / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Erythromycin