Piperacillin-induced immune hemolytic anemia in an adult with cystic fibrosis.

We report a case of drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) in an adult female with cystic fibrosis (CF), complicating routine treatment of a pulmonary exacerbation with intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam. Workup revealed a positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT) due to red blood cell (RBC)-bound IgG and C3 and piperacillin antibodies detectable in the patient's serum. The potential influence of CF transmembrane conductance regulator mutations on the severity of DIIHA is discussed.

Bacterial contamination of cystic fibrosis clinics.

Background: Respiratory pathogens from CF patients can contaminate inpatient settings, which may be associated with increased risk of patient-to-patient transmission. Few data are available that assess the rate of bacterial contamination of outpatient settings. We determined the frequency of contamination of CF clinics and the effectiveness of alcohol-based disinfectants in reducing hand carriage of bacterial pathogens.