CAVITARY PNEUMONIA DUE TO RHODOCOCCUS-EQUI AFTER SUBTOTAL GASTRECTOMY- CASE-REPORT

Rhodococcus equi, originally known as Corynebacterium equi, is a gramp ositive pleomorphic coccobacillus that is weakly acid-fast. It can fre quently be isolated from soil and is a known pathogen in equine pneumo nia. The first case of human infection was described in 1967, when R. equi was isolated from a pulmonary abscess [1]. Since that time, there have been multiple case reports of cavitating pneumonia caused by R. equi. The great majority of these cases have occurred in individuals w ho are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive or immunocompromise d for other reasons (immunosuppressive therapy, malignancy, alcoholism ) [2]. We describe the first reported case of cavitary pneumonia due t o R. equi after subtotal gastrectomy.