Fulminant Cryptococcus neoformans infection with fatal pericardial tamponade in a patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia who was treated with ruxolitinib: Case report and review of fungal pericarditis |
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| Authors: | Jing Liu Elie Mouhayar Jeffrey J. Tarrand Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA;2. Department of Cardiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA;3. Department of Clinical Microbiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA;4. Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA |
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| Abstract: | Cryptococcus neoformans is a saprophytic fungal pathogen that can cause serious illness in immune‐compromised hosts and it presents with a wide variety of clinical symptoms. We present a fatal case of fulminant C. neoformans infection presenting as pericardial tamponade in a 71‐year‐old male with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy with the JAK‐STAT inhibitor ruxolitinib. We also review the published cases of fungal pericarditis/tamponade. In addition to illustrating an atypical presentation of C. neoformans, this case highlights the risk for opportunistic fungal infections in patients with haematological malignancies, especially the ones treated with small molecule kinase inhibitors. |
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| Keywords: |
Cryptococcus neoformans
fungal pericarditis ruxolitinib tamponade |
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