Malassezia pachydermatis fungaemia in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Malassezia pachydermatis, a non-obligatory lipophilic yeast, has occasionally been implicated in nosocomial fungaemias. This study investigated a cluster of eight cases of M. pachydermatis infection and colonization in a neonatal intensive care unit over a 6 mo period. All patients were preterm with very low birthweight and suffered from various underlying diseases. Prolonged use of indwelling catheters and parenteral lipid formulations were important predisposing factors for their infection. All M. pachydermatis strains were susceptible to amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole but resistant against flucytosine.


CONCLUSIONS
Molecular typing by random amplification of polymorphic DNA showed distinct banding profiles for each blood isolate. Since no epidemiological association among the strains could be shown, the reason for this cluster of nosocomial fungaemias remains unclear.
Chryssanthou
E
E
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Broberger
U
U
Petrini
B
B
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016469:Fungemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008290:Malassezia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000935:Antifungal Agents