Jeong In Lee1, Shinae Yu2, Jong Sin Park1, Eun-Jeong Joo1, Jong Hee Shin3, Min-Jung Kwon2
Departments of 1Internal Medicine and 2Laboratory Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
Cyberlindnera fabianii (previously known as Hansenula fabianii, Pichia fabianii, and Lindnera fabianii) is a yeast species that forms a biofilm, allowing it to resist azole drugs. In this study, we report a case of fungemia with C. fabianii that was successfully treated with anidulafungin. In this case, the organism was initially misidentified as Candida utilis (with a high probability of 93%, suggesting good identification) using the VITEK 2 yeast identification card (YST ID; bioMérieux, USA). The species responsible for the patient’s fungemia was correctly identified after sequencing the internally transcribed spacer region and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (26S) rDNA gene. The CLSI M27-A3 broth microdilution method was used to determine the in vitro antifungal activity of anidulafungin and fluconazole against C. fabianii. The MICs of anidulafungin and fluconazole were found to be 0.03 μg/mL and 2 μg/mL, respectively. The patient recovered after 14 days of anidulafungin treatment. (Ann Clin Microbiol 2015;18:94-97)