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Fatal Disseminated Infection with Fusarium petroliphilum

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Abstract

Members of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are causing the majority of the fusariosis in humans. Disseminated fusariosis has a high mortality and is predominantly observed in patients with leukemia. Here, we present the case of a fatal infection by a Fusarium strain with a degenerated phenotype, in a patient with acute lymphatic leukemia. Multiple nasal and skin biopsies as well as blood cultures yielded fungal growth, while in direct and histopathological examination of biopsy material septate hyphae were visible. Initial colonies were white with slimy masses with microconidia reminiscent of Fusarium/Acremonium, but with conidiospore production directly on the hyphae. Multi-locus sequence typing discerned a pionnotal—morphologically degenerated—colony of the recently recognized F. petroliphilum as etiological agent. The culture returned to a typical F. solani species complex morphology only after several weeks of growth in culture. Antifungal susceptibility tests indicate amphotericin B as best drug for this FSSC member rather than any of the azoles or echinocandins.

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Conflict of interest

J.F.M. received grants form Astellas, Merck and Basilea. He has been a consultant to Basilea and Merck and received speaker fees from Merck and Gilead.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey

    Tuba Ersal & Fahir Özkalemkaş

  2. CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Abdullah S. M. Al-Hatmi & Anne D. van Diepeningen

  3. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey

    Burcu Dalyan Cilo & Beyza Ener

  4. Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Ilse Curfs-Breuker & Jacques F. Meis

  5. Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Jacques F. Meis

Authors
  1. Tuba Ersal
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  2. Abdullah S. M. Al-Hatmi
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  3. Burcu Dalyan Cilo
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  4. Ilse Curfs-Breuker
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  5. Jacques F. Meis
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  6. Fahir Özkalemkaş
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  7. Beyza Ener
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  8. Anne D. van Diepeningen
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Correspondence to Anne D. van Diepeningen.

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Ersal, T., Al-Hatmi, A.S.M., Dalyan Cilo, B. et al. Fatal Disseminated Infection with Fusarium petroliphilum . Mycopathologia 179, 119–124 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9813-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9813-x

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