Donor-to-Recipient Transmission of Bacteria as an Unusual Cause of Mediastinitis in a Heart Transplant Recipient

Abstract

AbstractWe present a 54-year-old male heart transplant recipient who developed mediastinitis caused byKlebsiella oxytocaandVeillonellaspecies. Culture of the donor's bronchus also grewK oxytocaand aVeillonellaspecies. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that theK oxytocaisolates had identical banding patterns. This case illustrates transmission of pathogenic bacteria via a contaminated organ.