title: Invasive zygomycosis in patients with graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Invasive mold infections are a threat to immunosuppressed patients such as patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Up to 10% of SCT recipients develop invasive aspergillosis (IA). Invasive zygomycosis (IZ) may occur during treatment against IA. Here we report 4 SCT patients with GVHD diagnosed with IZ. All patients had received myeloablative hematopoietic SCT and developed chronic GVHD requiring systemic immunosuppression. Underlying diseases were acute lymphocytic leukemia (2), osteomyelofibrosis, and multiple myeloma. All patients had developed pulmonary infiltration that led to initiation of antifungal therapy. Treatment for IA was voriconazole, caspofungin, or itraconazole. Organs involved with zygomycosis were lung, nasal sinus, skin, and kidney. Treatment with liposomal amphotericin and posaconazole was initiated in all patients, and 2 patients also had surgical debridement as well. Despite intensive treatment, no patient survived. IZ is becoming more common in patients with GVHD on successful treatment for IA. Even non-specific symptoms are suspicious in this group of patients and need to be evaluated by vigorous diagnostics. Despite effective antifungals and surgical intervention, the prognosis is grim in patients with active GVHD, as immunoreconstitution is mandatory for successful management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. malte.leithaeuser@med.uni-rostock.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leithauser
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kahl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aepinus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruschke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riemer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hilgendorf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Junghanss
mesh_terms: D020095:Absidia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D012233:Rhizopus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents