Rhodococcus equi Infection after Alemtuzumab Therapy for T-cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

Rhodococcus equi, mainly known from veterinary medicine as a pathogen in domestic animals, can also cause infections in immunocompromised humans, especially in those with defects in cellular immunity. Alemtuzumab, an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody, causes lymphocytopenia by eliminating CD52-positive cells. We report a patient in whom Rhodococcus equi infection developed after alemtuzumab therapy.

Keywords

• Rhodococcus equi
• Alemtuzumab
• T-PLL
• dispatch
• the Netherlands