Prolonged Meropenem Infusion Therapy for Multidrug Resistance (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection Following Liver Transplantation: A Pediatric Case Report

Year 2025, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 133 - 141, 03.09.2025

Sena Güzel Karahan , Nesligül Özdemir Ayduran Mefküre Durmuş , Şükrü Güngör Fatma İlknur Varol

https://doi.org/10.71133/anatphar.1665997

Abstract

In this case report, we present a 2-year-old child who was treated with long-term meropenem infusion for multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia after liver transplantation. The patient underwent transplantation for Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Type 2 (PFIC-2). MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected in blood cultures on the 18th postoperative day. Since no clinical response was obtained to the empirical amikacin treatment, the treatment was switched to colistin and meropenem combination. Upon recurrence of the infection, meropenem was administered as a 3-hour long-term infusion by increasing the dose. Following this approach, significant clinical improvement was observed, with a marked decrease in inflammatory markers. Importantly, liver function tests remained stable throughout the treatment period. This case highlights that extended meropenem infusion may be a valuable therapeutic option in the management of MDR Gram-negative infections in paediatric liver transplant recipients and highlights its potential efficacy and safety in such high-risk patient populations.

Keywords

liver transplantation , Meropenem , Prolonged infusion , MDR , Klebsiella pneumoniae

Ethical Statement

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Thanks

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References

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