Annals of Clinical Microbiology, The official Journal of the Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology
Case report

A Case of Disseminated Trichosporon beigelii Infection Treated with the Combination of Amphotericin B and Fluconazole

Bong Joon Oh1 , Jong Hee Shin1, Dong Hyun Shin2, Sook In Jeong2, Hyung Joon Kim2, Soon Pal Suh1, and Dong Wook Ryang1

Departments of Laboratory Medicine1 and Internal Medicine2, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea

Corresponding to Jong Hee Shin, E-mail: shinjh@chonnam.ac.kr

Ann Clin Microbiol 2005;8(2):179-184.
Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.

Abstract

Trichosporon beigelii is often resistant to the fungicidal effect of amphotericin B and can cause fatal disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of a disseminated T. beigelii infection with a favorable outcome in a patient with acute erythroleukemia and neutropenia. The patient presented a persistent fever, multiple erythematous skin lesions, and pulmonary infiltrates. T. beigelii was isolated from blood cultures in four days and also from cultures of abdominal skin lesion, sputum, and stool. The isolate was resistant to amphotericin B (MIC, 2 μg/mL), and the respective fluconazole and itraconazole MICs were 4 and 1 μg/mL. The patient was successfully treated with fluconazole plus amphotericin B in combination with granulocyte colony stimulating factor and leukocyte transfusion. This case shows the importance of early diagnosis and treatment with combination of amphotericin B and fluconazole as a prognostic factor of disseminated T. beigelii infections. (Korean J Clin Microbiol 2005;8(2):179-184)

Keywords

Trichosporon beigelii, Disseminated infection, Combination antifungal therapy, Neutropenia