Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia, Absidia corymbifera infection and probable pulmonary aspergillosis in a recipient of orthotopic liver transplantation for end stage liver disease secondary to hepatitis C

Zygomycetes in Human Disease

“…Insect bites or stings have also been implicated in disease transmission in cases of cutaneous and subcutaneous zygomycosis (33,152,159,199,203,233,372,494). The development of wound zygomycosis has been seen with a variety of adhesive products used in the hospital setting (52,53,168,234,292,353,423,479).…”

“…corymbifera infection may be transmitted nosocomially. A. corymbifera infection in a liver transplant patient was introduced from under an electrode monitoring vital signs (479), and it was introduced percutaneously in another patient at an atrial catheter exit site (262). Transplantation patients may become infected from contaminated surgical equipment, cadaver organs, or even live organs used for transplantation (431).…”

“…Host characteristics associated with the published cases of absidiomycosis include immunocompromise from a variety of causes. Several cases of A. corymbifera infection have occurred in bone marrow or solid-organ transplant recipients (102,188,217,262,278,431,433,479). A. corymbifera infections in cancer or leukemia patients have also been described (47,140,188,268,399).…”

“…The widespread use of chemotherapeutic agents, immunosuppressive therapy (including prednisone), and broad-spectrum antibiotics probably play a contributory role in promoting fungal infections in these patients. Hospitalized patients, particularly those undergoing major procedures, are at increased risk since the organism may be spread nosocomially by various means (262,431,479). Among patients undergoing organ transplantation, orthotopic liver graft recipients are at highest risk for developing infections because of the prolonged operation time, need for reoperation and reintubation, massive use of antibacterial agents, immunosuppressive therapy, and possibly previous colonization (278,479).…”

“…Hospitalized patients, particularly those undergoing major procedures, are at increased risk since the organism may be spread nosocomially by various means (262,431,479). Among patients undergoing organ transplantation, orthotopic liver graft recipients are at highest risk for developing infections because of the prolonged operation time, need for reoperation and reintubation, massive use of antibacterial agents, immunosuppressive therapy, and possibly previous colonization (278,479). Diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and malnutrition have been seen as other more unusual underlying disease processes for patients with A. corymbifera infections (200,433,499).…”