Invasive Geotrichum clavatum fungal infection in an acute myeloid leukaemia patient: a case report and review

Mycopathologia. 2014 Jun;177(5-6):319-24. doi: 10.1007/s11046-014-9746-4. Epub 2014 Apr 20.

Abstract

Invasive Geotrichum clavatum fungal infections are extremely rare and unusual, occurring nearly exclusively in patients experiencing prolonged neutropenia during the treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia. Several groups of cases of fatal G. clavatum infection were reported in France between 2011 and 2012, but the ecological niche has not yet been identified. We report a case of a 32-year-old patient with acute myeloid leukaemia who developed G. clavatum sepsis with primary peritonitis, hepatic nodular lesions, and multivisceral failure during aplasia after induction followed by salvage chemotherapy. He was treated with voriconazole and is still alive 1 year after with controlled disease. We then discuss the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic features of these serious fungal infections compared to the published data.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Geotrichosis / drug therapy
  • Geotrichosis / etiology*
  • Geotrichosis / microbiology
  • Geotrichum / genetics
  • Geotrichum / isolation & purification*
  • Geotrichum / physiology
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / complications*
  • Male
  • Voriconazole / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Voriconazole