Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with pneumonia caused by Raoultella planticola

• Published in: Journal of thoracic disease 2020-04, Vol.12 (4), p.1305-1311
• Main Authors: Hong, Goohyeon, Yong, Ho Jin, Lee, Dabee, Kim, Doh Hyung, Kim, Youn Seup, Park, Jae-Suk, Jee, Young Koo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original
• ISSN: 2072-1439; 2077-6624
• DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2020.02.56

, considered to be an environmental organism, is a rare cause of human infections. Although in recent years the frequency of infections reported in the literature has increased, few cases of pneumonia caused by have been described. Here, we investigate the clinical characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes of pneumonia caused by . Consecutive patients with pneumonia caused by were included. The medical records of patients with pneumonia treated at Dankook University Hospital from January 2011 to December 2017 were collected. A total of 11 adult patients with pneumonia were diagnosed and treated [10 males and 1 female; median age, 70 years (range: 51-79 years)]; 5 patients had underlying malignant conditions (45.5%). Antibacterial susceptibility testing showed that all isolates of were susceptible to cephalosporins, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and beta-lactams/beta-lactamase inhibitors. Chest imaging revealed consolidation (8/11, 72.7%), ground-glass opacity (5/11, 45.5%), pleural effusion (5/11, 45.5%), and micronodules (3/11, 27.3%). Four patients (36.4%) required mechanical ventilation; three survived but one died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (principally pneumonia and septic shock). pneumonia occurred mainly in patients with underlying risk factors such as malignant disease, cerebral infarction or hemorrhage, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The organism was sensitive to most antibiotics, and the clinical outcomes were favorable after empirical antibiotic therapy.