Invasive trichosporonosis caused by Trichosporon asahii and other unusual Trichosporon species at a medical center in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
During the past 2 decades, invasive trichosporonosis has emerged as an opportunistic infectious disease in immunocompromised patients. However, no case series have been reported recently.


METHODS
All patients with a culture that was positive for Trichosporon species from May 2000 through May 2008 at a medical center were evaluated. The identity of all Trichosporon species was confirmed by analysis of the intergenic spacer 1 region of the fungal ribosomal RNA gene. In vitro susceptibility testing was performed using the reference broth microdilution method.


RESULTS
Forty-three patients were found to have a culture that was positive for Trichosporon species. T. asahii was the most frequently isolated species (32 isolates; 74%), followed by T. dermatis (5; 12%), T. montevideense (2; 5%), and T. asteroides (1; 2%), T. cutaneum (1; 2%), T. faecale (1; 2%), and T. ovoides (1; 2%). Nineteen patients had invasive infections; 16 (84%) were caused by T. asahii, and 1 (5%) each was caused by T. dermatis, T. montevideense, and T. asteroides. Of the 19 episodes of invasive trichosporonosis, 14 (74%) were fungemia, 3 (16%) were pulmonary infection, and 1 (5%) each was soft-tissue infection and meningitis. Most invasive infections were associated with prior antibiotic therapy (95%), use of a central catheter (90%), malignancy (58%), and intensive care unit admission (47%). Azoles had good in vitro activity, whereas amphotericin B and echinocandins were not active against Trichosporon isolates. The 30-day all-cause mortality rate was 42% and was higher among patients with a malignancy (55%) than among those without an underlying malignancy (25%).


CONCLUSIONS
Invasive trichosporonosis tended to develop in patients with an underlying malignancy and to be associated with higher mortality. T. asahii and other unusual Trichosporon species may cause invasive trichosporonosis.
Ruan
Sheng-Yuan
SY
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Taiwan.
Chien
Jung-Yien
JY
Hsueh
Po-Ren
PR
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014250:Trichosporon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer