Fungemia and necrotic lymph node infection with Sporopachydermia cereana in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia

Int J Infect Dis. 2017 Aug:61:103-106. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.06.017. Epub 2017 Jun 23.

Abstract

Sporopachydermia cereana is a rare yeast found in necrotic cactus tissue, predominantly in the Americas. Infection in humans with clinical data has only been reported in four patients so far, all of whom died, either directly from the pathogen or from other complications of immunosuppression. Treatment of the yeast is complicated by difficulties in identification of the pathogen with conventional diagnostic techniques and by intrinsic resistance to echinocandins. The first patient to survive a disseminated infection with S. cereana is presented herein. The patient had acute myeloid leukemia and was treated successfully with antifungal therapy and subsequently underwent a successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Mycotic opportunistic infection; Sporopachydermia cereana.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Fungemia / complications
  • Fungemia / diagnosis*
  • Fungemia / drug therapy
  • Fungemia / pathology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy / adverse effects
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / complications*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / surgery
  • Lymph Nodes / microbiology
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Necrosis
  • Saccharomycetales*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents