Lab Med Online.  2019 Apr;9(2):88-93. 10.3343/lmo.2019.9.2.88.

A Case of Fungemia with Co-isolation of Candida parapsilosis and Trichosporon asahii Confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS and D2 rRNA Sequencing

• Seo JD
• Kim NH
• Hong YJ
• Kim TS
• Hwang SM
• Park JS
• Seong MW
• Park KU
• Song J
• Park SS
• Kim EC

• KMID: 2441829
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/lmo.2019.9.2.88

Abstract

Fungi are a major cause of human infections with diverse clinical manifestations. The incidence of fungal infections has increased over time, particularly in patients who have risk factors such as neutropenia, immune suppression, an intravascular catheter, parenteral nutrition, a prosthetic device, and prior broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. Here, we present an unusual case of co-infection by 2 distinct fungi, Candida parapsilosis and Trichosporon asahii, isolated from a patient who did not have any known risk factors initially, except active pulmonary tuberculosis. Despite the negative conversion of sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) culture test after treatment, clinical symptoms were refractory to therapy. The patient developed symptoms suggesting septic shock, and 2 distinct colonies were isolated from a blood specimen, which were identified as C. parapsilosis and T. asahii by MALDI-TOF and rRNA sequencing. Fever and hypotension were relieved after anti-fungal agent injection, and pulmonary lesions identified by imaging also improved.

Keyword

Fungemia; Candida parapsilosis; Trichosporon asahii; MALDI-TOF MS; D2 rRNA sequencing

MeSH Terms

Candida*
Catheters
Coinfection
Fever
Fungemia*
Fungi
Humans
Hypotension
Incidence
Neutropenia
Parenteral Nutrition
Risk Factors
Shock, Septic
Sputum
Trichosporon*
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Figure

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  Fig. 1. (A) Colonial morphology of Candida parapsilosis isolates with cream-colored, smooth colonies. (B) Magnification of a portion of the image shown in (A).

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  Fig. 2. (A) Colonial morphology of Trichosporon asahii isolates with cream-colored, moist, wrinkled colonies. (B) Magnification of a portion of the image shown in (A).

Reference

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