Trichoderma species fungemia after high‐dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation: a case report

We present a case of Trichoderma fungemia with pulmonary involvement in a multiple myeloma patient, who was severely immunocompromised and heavily treated with high‐dose melphalan, and underwent autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of proven Trichoderma fungemia, defined by published criteria, successfully treated with voriconazole.     

Fungemia due to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

T. Mori, Y. Nakamura, J. Kato, K. Sugita, M. Murata, K. Kamei, S. Okamoto. Fungemia due to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Transpl Infect Dis 2011. All rights reserved Abstract: Rhodotorula species have been increasingly recognized as emerging pathogens, particularly in immunocompromised patients. We herein report on a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome who developed fungemia due to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from an unrelated donor. He developed severe acute graft‐versus‐host disease requiring high‐dose steroids, and had serially been administered fluconazole and micafungin for the prophylaxis of fungal infection. Although several cases of Rhodotorula infection after HSCT have been reported, all of them were recipients of autologous HSCT, not allogeneic HSCT. A review of all the reported cases of Rhodotorula infection after HSCT revealed that all patients had received fluconazole or echinocandins before the onset of infection. The findings suggest that Rhodotorula species could be causative yeasts, particularly in patients receiving fluconazole or echinocandins, both of which are inactive against the species.     

Mortality and risk factor analysis for Candida blood stream infection: A multicenter study

Candida blood stream infection (candidemia) is severe systemic infection mainly develops after intensive medical cares. The mortality of candidemia is affected by the underlying conditions, causative agents and the initial management. We retrospectively analyzed mortality-related risk factors in cases of candidemia between April 2011 and March 2016 in five regional hospitals in Japan. We conducted bivariate and multivariate analysis of factors including causative Candida species, patients' predisposing conditions, and treatment strategies, such as empirically selected antifungal drug and time to appropriate antifungal treatment, to elucidate their effects on 30-day mortality. The study enrolled 289 cases of candidemia in adults. Overall 30-day mortality was 27.7%. Forty-nine cases (17.0%) were community-acquired. Bivariate analysis found advanced age, high Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and prior antibiotics use as risk factors for high mortality; however community-acquired candidemia, C. parapsilosis candidemia, obtaining follow-up blood culture, and empiric treatment with fluconazole were associated with low mortality. Logistic regression revealed age ≥65 years (adjusted odds ratio, 2.13) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score ≥6 (6.30) as risk factors for 30-day mortality. In contrast, obtaining follow-up blood culture (0.38) and empiric treatment with fluconazole (0.32) were found to be protective factors. The cases with candidemia in associated with advanced age and poor general health conditions should be closely monitored. Obtaining follow-up blood culture contributed to an improved prognosis.     

Endogenous endophthalmitis following disseminated fungemia due to Fusarium solani in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia

We report the case of a young man with a resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who developed a disseminated fungemia due to Fusarium solani involving the skin and lungs, during the neutropenic phase following a chemotherapy course. Despite continuous therapy with liposomal amphotericin B, he developed a bilateral endophthalmitis that rapidly evolved to complete blindness. The patient underwent two procedures of vitrectomy, with detection of F. solani in the vitreous fluid, and continued antifungal therapy, without any recovery of visual acuity. When he eventually died due to recurrence of leukemia and hemorrhagic shock, autopsy revealed a diffuse fusarial involvement of the central nervous system.     

The impact of invasive fungal diseases on survival after lung transplantation

Arthurs SK, Eid AJ, Deziel PJ, Marshall WF, Cassivi SD, Walker RC, Razonable RR. The impact of invasive fungal diseases on survival after lung transplantation.
Clin Transplant 2010: 24: 341–348. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: Recipients of lung transplants are at high risk of infectious complications. We investigated the epidemiology of infections after lung transplantation and determined their impact on survival. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent lung transplantation at Mayo Clinic (Rochester) during 1990–2005. Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan–Meier estimation and Cox proportional hazard modeling. Results: Sixty‐nine lung transplants were performed during the 16‐yr study period. The mean (±SD) patient age was 50.5 ± 9.7 yr; 45% were male. During the mean (±SD) follow‐up period of 1188 (±1288) d, the cumulative percentage of patients with infections were: bacteria (52%), cytomegalovirus (CMV) (49%), other viruses (32%), fungi (19%), mycobacteria (7%), and Pneumocystis jiroveci (1%). The median survival time after lung transplantation was 5.02 yr. Kaplan–Meier estimation of one‐, three‐, and five‐yr survival was 80%, 61%, and 50%, respectively. Overall, 37 (54%) patients died due to graft rejection and failure (35%), invasive fungal diseases (16%), post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder and other malignancies (14%), cardiovascular diseases (5%), CMV disease (3%), bacterial infection (3%), or other causes (24%). Survival analysis using Kaplan–Meier estimation showed that invasive fungal disease (Aspergillus sp., n = 9, Candida sp., n = 2, Alternaria sp., n = 1, Rhizopus sp., n = 1, and/or Mucor sp., n = 1) was significantly associated with mortality (p = 0.0104). After adjusting for age and graft rejection, invasive fungal disease remains a significant predictor of mortality (p = 0.0262). Conclusion: Invasive fungal disease is significantly associated with all‐cause mortality after lung transplantation. An aggressive antifungal preventive strategy may lead to improved survival after lung transplantation.     

大面积烧伤病人真菌血症分析

诊治烧伤真菌血症９例，占同期收治总数的０．５１％。温湿环境———局部真菌密度增殖———菌血症为本组主要感染模式。９例中，治愈６例，死亡３例。总结真菌血症的临床特征，并对其发病原因、临床诊断和治疗进行了探讨     

光滑念珠菌血流感染20例临床分析

目的探讨光滑念珠菌血流感染的临床特点。方法收集苏州大学附属第一医院2004年1月-2017年12月确诊的光滑念珠菌血流感染20例,分析其临床表现、易感因素、治疗及预后。结果20例患者的平均年龄(67±15)岁;主要症状为发热(n=19,95.0%),未见其他特异性表现;大部分患者(n=19,95.0%)在就诊时存在至少1种基础疾病;入住重症监护室(ICU)者10例(50.0%),有侵袭性操作者19例(95.0%),应用广谱抗生素≥1周者16例(80.0%);确诊时急性生理与慢性健康状况评分(APACHEⅡ评分)(15.3±6.3)分、全身性感染相关性器官功能衰竭评分(sepsisrelated organ failure assessment,SOFA评分)(7.0±4.6)分;20例患者中治愈11例,死亡9例。结论高APACHEⅡ评分和SOFA评分与预后不良有关;对于年龄>60岁、长期使用广谱抗生素、入住ICU、合并有恶性肿瘤等基础疾病及各种侵袭性操作的患者,若出现发热时,应积极留取血培养,以便尽早明确诊断,开始有效的抗真菌治疗。     

Ocular Involvement in Patients with Fungemia in an Urban Tertiary Care Center

Purpose: To illustrate the rate of endogenous endophthalmitis associated with fungemia and evaluate the importance of screening in a public city hospital.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on all inpatient ophthalmology consults for fungemia from 2010 to 2015. Clinical histories, ocular examinations, and microbial cultures were reviewed.

Results: Of 95 patients (mean age 51.6 years, 75% male) with fungemia, 9/95 (9.5%) demonstrated intraocular involvement. Of these nine patients, two were unable to participate in the ophthalmic exam due to intubation, while the remaining seven reported no changes in their vision. Two patients had their antifungal medications adjusted to optimize intraocular penetration and one patient progressed to develop vitreous involvement but died before further escalation of care occurred.

Conclusion: All involved individuals in this study were either non-communicative or without visual complaints. This suggests that routine screening should still be recommended, especially in a public hospital setting.