Transient Fungemia Due to Candida lusitaniae

Candida lusitaniae: A Cause of Breakthrough Fungemia in Cancer Patients

“…In 1979, it was first reported as an opportunistic human pathogen in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia [9]. Thirty cases of C. lusitaniae fungemia were reported in the English literature from 1979 to 1998 [2][3][4][5][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. A total of 67% of those patients were immunocompromised (12 had cancer, 2 were receiving steroids, 5 had immature immune systems, and 1 had AIDS).…”

Candida Lusitaniae Catheter-Related Sepsis

“…Originally thought to occur primarily in immunocompromised patients, this organism has emerged as a pathogen in immunocompetent patients as well. 4,11,20, 21 For example, C. lusitaniae has been documented to cause catheter-related sepsis in immunocompetent patients, 3 aortic valve endocarditis, 11 acute and chronic urinary tract infections, 21,22 and peritonitis. 4 As noted above and in additional case reports, 3-7,15,22-24 C. lusitaniae has been recovered from a variety of infected sites, thus illustrating the disseminating capability of this organism.…”

Candida lusitaniae causing fatal meningitis

“…During the last 13 years after the publication of the first documented case of opportunistic infection caused by C. lusitaniae,4 18 and resistance to amphotericin B played a role in the fatal'7 outcome of the disease.24""'4'20 Our patient received broad-spectrum antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and gentamicin) for 3 days prior to hospitalization. We believe that broad-spectrum antibiotic usage was the predisposing factor in our patient who was otherwise healthy causing immunocompromisation contributing to the development of fatal C. lusitaniae meningitis.…”