Infections caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are acid-fast bacteria that are ubiquitous in the environment and can colonize soil, dust particles, water sources, and food supplies. They are divided into rapidly growing mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium chelonae, and Mycobacterium abscessus as well as slowly growing species such as Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium kansasii, and Mycobacterium marinum. About 160 different species, which can cause community acquired and health care-associated infections, have been identified.

Infections Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Recipients of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infections are uncommon in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These infections are 10-40 times commoner in recipients of stem cell transplantation than in the general population but they are 10 times less in stem cell transplantation recipients compared to solid organ transplant recipients.

Infections Caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in Recipients of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a globally emerging Gram-negative bacillus that is widely spread in environment and hospital equipment. Recently, the incidence of infections caused by this organism has increased, particularly in patients with hematological malignancy and in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) having neutropenia, mucositis, diarrhea, central venous catheters or graft versus host disease and receiving intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunosuppressive therapy, or broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Infections Caused by Acinetobacter baumannii in Recipients of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-fermentative coccobacillus, which is widely distributed in nature. Recently, it has emerged as a major cause of health care-associated infections (HCAIs) in addition to its capacity to cause community-acquired infections.

Brucella bacteremia in a recipient of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a case report.

Background: Brucellosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients living in areas that are endemic for the infection.

Case Presentation: A 20 years old Saudi male was diagnosed to have severe aplastic anemia at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh in April 2006. One hundred and twelve days following his successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, he presented with pyrexia in addition to neutropenia and mild thrombocytopenia.

Klebsiella oxytoca bacteremia causing septic shock in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Two case reports.

Background: Klebsiella oxytoca can cause various infectious complications in healthy as well as in immunocompromised individuals.

Case Presentations: Case 1: A 49 year old female with multiple myeloma received an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant in October 2005. Eight days following her autograft she developed septic shock caused by Klebsiella oxytoca bacteremia which was successfully treated with intravenous meropenem and gentamicin.

Successful management of multifactorial colitis in a recipient of hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a case report.

Recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant can develop life-threatening complications at any time following their transplants. These complications require repeated clinical assessment, appropriate and thorough screening as well as a comprehensive management approach. We report a young adult male who received a sibling allograft in the second complete remission of his acute lymphoblastic leukemia at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh.

Brucella bacteremia in patients with acute leukemia: a case series.

Background: Brucellosis may cause serious infections in healthy individuals living in countries that are endemic for the infection. However, reports of brucella infections in immunocompromised hosts are relatively rare.

Case Presentations: Reported here are two patients with acute leukemia who developed Brucella melitensis bacteremia during their follow up at the Armed Forces Hospital in Riyadh.

Infections caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients with hematological disorders and in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant, a twelve year retrospective study.

Background: Tuberculous infections in patients with hematological disorders and hematopoietic stem cell transplant vary in incidence, complications and response to treatment.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective study of patients with various benign and malignant hematological disorders and recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant who were treated at Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia between January 1991 and December 2002 and who developed tuberculous infections was conducted.

Results: Tuberculous infections occurred in eighteen patients with hematological disorders and hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Endocarditis caused by Abiotrophia defectiva.

A 35-year-old man with pre-existing rheumatic heart disease and aortic regurgitation (AR) presented with intermittent fever, ankle swelling and clinical evidence of endocarditis. Transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) revealed vegetations and destruction of the aortic valve (AV). Blood cultures grew a gram positive coccobacillus which was phenotypically identified as Abiotrophia defectvia (A.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: an increasing problem.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) has recently emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. Treatment of invasive infections caused by this organism is difficult as the bacterium is frequently resistant to a wide range of commonly used antimicrobials.

Effect of varicella zoster virus infection on bone marrow function.

Background: Most viral infections are known to exert adverse effects on bone marrow function. However, certain viruses have recently been found to be therapeutically beneficial in the treatment of some malignant disorders.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Objective: To determine the level of resistance to the widely used antipseudomonal antibiotics in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa).

Methods: The microbiology database of all clinical isolates of P.

Distribution of Candida species among bloodstream isolates.

Objective: To identify the distribution of Candida species causing bloodstream infections.

Methods: This study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All cases of candidemia from the period 1996 through to 2002 were retrospectively identified through the records from the Department of Clinical Microbiology.