Rhodotorula fungemia: two cases and a brief review

Med Mycol. 2011 Nov;49(8):879-82. doi: 10.3109/13693786.2011.583694. Epub 2011 May 19.

Abstract

Rhodotorula is emerging as an important cause of nosocomial and opportunistic infections. We present two cases of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa fungemia diagnosed over a period of 3 months at our hospital. The first case was of a pre-term neonate in the neonatal ICU who presented with respiratory failure and sepsis. The second involved an adult female who had been injured in a road traffic accident requiring an operation for a hematoma and was later shifted to the medical ICU. For a new hospital like ours, finding two cases of Rhodotorula fungemia within a span of 3 months prompted us to describe them in this report. These cases emphasize the emerging importance of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa as a pathogen and the importance of identification and MIC testing for all fungal isolates recovered from the blood stream.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amphotericin B / pharmacology
  • Amphotericin B / therapeutic use
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Catheterization, Central Venous / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Fungemia / diagnosis*
  • Fungemia / drug therapy
  • Fungemia / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / drug therapy
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis*
  • Opportunistic Infections / drug therapy
  • Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Rhodotorula / classification
  • Rhodotorula / drug effects
  • Rhodotorula / isolation & purification*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Triazoles / pharmacology
  • Voriconazole
  • Wounds and Injuries / therapy

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Pyrimidines
  • Triazoles
  • Amphotericin B
  • Voriconazole