Mycoplasma hominis infection in heart and lung transplantation

Hopkins, Peter M; Winlaw, David S; Chhajed, Prashant N; Harkness, John L; Horton, Matthew D; Keogh, Anne M; Malouf, Monique A; Glanville, Allan R

« Previous Next »The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
Volume 21, Issue 11 , Pages 1225-1229, November 2002

Mycoplasma hominis infection in heart and lung transplantation

Peter M Hopkins, MBBS, FRACP
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Reprint requests: Dr. Peter Hopkins, Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, de Lacy 14, St Vincent’s Hospital, Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010, Australia. Telephone: +61-2-8382-1111. Fax: +61-2-8382-2505
David S Winlaw, MBBS, FRACS, MD
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Prashant N Chhajed, MD, DNB, FCCP
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
John L Harkness, MBBS, FRCPA
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Matthew D Horton, MBBS, FRACS
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Anne M Keogh, MBBS, FRACP, MD
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Monique A Malouf, MBBS, FRACP
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Allan R Glanville, MBBS, FRACP, MD
- Heart–Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia

Received 6 September 2001; accepted 18 January 2002.

Abstract

“Culture-negative” wound infection and mediastinitis secondary to Mycoplasma hominis have been reported after cardiothoracic surgery but no case cluster has ever been described. We report 4 cases of infection in 3 cardiac and 1 bilateral sequential lung transplant recipient over 3 weeks of hospitalization. Successful treatment was achieved with early aggressive surgical intervention and combination antibiotics of clindamycin, doxycycline and/or ciprofloxacin. This cluster raises the question of nosocomial transmission of infection and supports a recommendation for single-room isolation and universal precautions for infected individuals.