Successful treatment of Trichosporon fungemia in a patient with refractory acute myeloid leukemia using voriconazole combined with liposomal amphotericin B

A Case of Fatal Invasive Trichosporonosis in the Setting of Immunosuppression and Post-COVID-19 Pneumonia

Trichosporon asahii is an opportunistic fungus that forms septate hyphae and pseudohyphae, resembling Candida albicans, and causes fungemia in susceptible individuals. Risk factors for T. asahii infection include immunosuppression, IV catheters, and malignancy. In the present case, a 67-year-old male with a history of renal transplant on immunosuppressive therapy was hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Despite treatment with steroids and broad initial antibiotic coverage with cefepime, doxycycline, and vancomycin, the patient underwent continual respiratory decline. His sputum culture on hospital day 10 was positive for non-candidal yeast, and despite subsequent appropriate empiric coverage with micafungin and amphotericin B, the patient continued to decline and ultimately died due to the resistance of T. asahii to these antifungals. This case highlights the importance of suspecting T. asahii as an infectious cause in patients whose cultures show non-candidal yeast and initiating appropriate antifungal treatment early in their treatment course.

Invasive Trichosporonosis in Neonates and Pediatric Patients with Malignancies or Hematologic Disorders

(1) Background: Trichosporon species have emerged as important opportunistic fungal pathogens, with Trichosporon asahii being the leading and most frequent cause of invasive disease. (2) Methods: We performed a global review focused on invasive trichosporonosis in neonates and pediatric patients with malignancies or hematologic disorders. We reviewed case reports and case series of trichosporonosis due to T. asahii published since 1994, the year of the revised taxonomic classification. (3) Results: Twenty-four cases of invasive trichosporonosis were identified in neonates with the presence of central venous catheter and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics recognized as the main predisposing factors. Thirty-two cases were identified in children with malignancies or hematologic disorders, predominantly with severe neutropenia. Trichosporon asahii was isolated from blood in 24/32 (75%) pediatric cases. Cutaneous involvement was frequently observed in invasive trichosporonosis. Micafungin was the most commonly used prophylactic agent (9/22; 41%). Ten patients receiving prophylactic echinocandins were identified with breakthrough infections. A favorable outcome was reported in 12/16 (75%) pediatric patients receiving targeted monotherapy with voriconazole or combined with liposomal amphotericin B. Overall mortality in neonates and children with malignancy was 67% and 60%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: Voriconazole is advocated for the treatment of invasive trichosporonosis given the intrinsic resistance to echinocandins and poor susceptibility to polyenes.

Successful Treatment of Breakthrough Trichosporon asahii Fungemia by the Combination Therapy of Fluconazole and Liposomal Amphotericin B in a Patient with Follicular Lymphoma

Invasive trichosporonosis is a rare and lethal fungal infection that occurs in immunocompromised patients. Breakthrough trichosporonosis can occur in patients treated with echinocandins since Trichosporon spp. are resistant to these antifungal agents. We report a case of breakthrough Trichosporon asahii fungemia. A 62-year-old Japanese woman with relapsed follicular lymphoma was treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics and micafungin due to an intermittent fever during reinduction chemotherapy. After four cycles of anti-cancer chemotherapy, she experienced a high neutropenic fever and T. asahii was subsequently detected from a blood culture. The patient was not given voriconazole due to the contraindication for use with carbamazepine, and she was successfully treated with fluconazole plus liposomal amphotericin B without any serious complications. The combined therapy of fluconazole and liposomal amphotericin B may therefore be useful in treating T. asahii fungemia, especially in patients receiving antiepileptic agents.

Treatment of invasive fungal diseases in cancer patients-Revised 2019 Recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society of Hematology and Oncology (DGHO)

BACKGROUND

Invasive fungal diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients undergoing intensive cytotoxic therapy. The choice of the most appropriate antifungal treatment (AFT) depends on the fungal species suspected or identified, the patient's risk factors (eg length and depth of granulocytopenia) and the expected side effects.

OBJECTIVES

Since the last edition of recommendations for 'Treatment of invasive fungal infections in cancer patients' of the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO) in 2013, treatment strategies were gradually moving away from solely empirical therapy of presumed or possible invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) towards pre-emptive therapy of probable IFD.

METHODS

The guideline was prepared by German clinical experts for infections in cancer patients in a stepwise consensus process. MEDLINE was systematically searched for English-language publications from January 1975 up to September 2019 using the key terms such as 'invasive fungal infection' and/or 'invasive fungal disease' and at least one of the following: antifungal agents, cancer, haematological malignancy, antifungal therapy, neutropenia, granulocytopenia, mycoses, aspergillosis, candidosis and mucormycosis.

RESULTS

AFT of IFDs in cancer patients may include not only antifungal agents but also non-pharmacologic treatment. In addition, the armamentarium of antifungals for treatment of IFDs has been broadened (eg licensing of isavuconazole). Additional antifungals are currently under investigation or in clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Here, updated recommendations for the treatment of proven or probable IFDs are given. All recommendations including the levels of evidence are summarised in tables to give the reader rapid access to key information.

Invasive Trichosporon Infection: a Systematic Review on a Re-emerging Fungal Pathogen

Objectives: This review aimed to better depict the clinical features and address the issue of therapeutic management of Trichosporon deep-seated infections.

Methods: We comprehensively reviewed the cases of invasive Trichosporon infection reported in the literature from 1994 (date of taxonomic modification) to 2015. Data from antifungal susceptibility testing (AST) studies were also analyzed.

Results: Two hundred and three cases were retained and split into four groups: homeopathy (n = 79), other immunodeficiency conditions (n = 41), miscellaneous (n = 58) and newborns (n = 25). Trichosporon asahii was the main causative species (46.7%) and may exhibit cross-resistance to different antifungal classes. The unfavorable outcome rate was at 44.3%. By multivariate analysis, breakthrough infection (OR 2.45) was associated with unfavorable outcome, whilst the use of an azole-based therapy improved the prognosis (OR 0.16). Voriconazole-based treatment was associated with favorable outcome in hematological patients (73.6 vs. 41.8%; p = 0.016). Compiled data from AST demonstrated that (i) T. asahii exhibits the highest MICs to amphotericin B and (ii) voriconazole has the best in vitro efficacy against clinical isolates of Trichosporon spp.

Conclusions:Trichosporon infection is not only restricted to hematological patients. Analysis of compiled data from AST and clinical outcome support the use of voriconazole as first line therapy.

Epidemiology and Outcome of Trichosporon Fungemia: A Review of 185 Reported Cases From 1975 to 2014

We first reviewed the English-language literature for reported cases of Trichosporon fungemia over the past four decades, and did comprehensive analysis in order to guide our understanding of epidemiology and outcome-related aspects, especially the antifungal treatment and CVC management.

Background. Trichosporon species have emerged as an important non-Candida spp yeast pathogen in immunocompromised patients in recent decades; however, the systemic analysis of Trichosporon epidemiology has seldom been reported.

Methods. We reviewed 185 reported cases of Trichosporon fungemia from 1975 to 2014 in the English-language literature, and the epidemiology and prognostic factors of the included cases are described.

Results. The number of cases reported has increased with time, especially over the past decade. During the 3 decades from 1975 to 2004, the most commonly used antifungal compounds were amphotericin B/liposomal amphotericin B; however, in recent decades (2005–2014), triazoles (especially voriconazole) have become the most widely used agents, significantly improving outcome in the reported cases. Correlation analysis revealed that negative outcome is associated with several prognostic factors, including a history of antimicrobial use, bacterial bloodstream coinfection, prophylactic/empirical antifungal therapy, Trichosporon beigelii infection, and receiving the antifungal regimen of amphotericin B/liposomal amphotericin B. In addition, a significantly greater proportion of patients with a positive outcome had fungemia without invasive tissue infection and received a voriconazole regimen or an AmB-triazole combined regimen. Significant positive outcome was also associated with patients who had recovered from neutropenia or after central venous catheter removal.

Conclusions. Voriconazole can be recommended as a first-line antifungal compound to treat Trichosporon fungemia; the immune status of the host plays a crucial role in the outcome of this infection, and the removal of vascular catheters should be considered if feasible.

Two Case Presentations Infected by Trichosporon asahii and Treated with Voriconazole Successfully

Background. Trichosporon asahii is an opportunistic fungus that causes infections in immunosuppressed patients. Neutropenia developing due to malignancies is an important risk factor for fungal infection. Case Report. We present two pediatric oncology cases successfully treated with voriconazole after T. asahii infection that is known to cause fatal sepsis and invasive fungal infection. Conclusion. There is no conclusive evidence that the antifungal agent voriconazole is effective in the neutropenic patients infected with Trichosporon asahii. Liposomal amphotericin B has also been reported to be inadequate for treatment. We believe that our patients were successfully treated and survived because the antifungal agents were started early and properly, although the infection can be fatal in up to 80% of cases despite treatment.

Trichosporon faecale invasive infection in a patient with severe aplastic anemia: Efficacy of voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin B before neutrophil recovery

We report a case of a 51-year old man with a severe aplastic anemia who developed an invasive trichosporonosis to Trichosporon faecale with fungemia and skin lesions during severe neutropenia. The treatment was successful before neutrophil recovery with a combination of voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin B.

Successful treatment of Paecilomyces variotii peritonitis in a liver transplant patient

Paecilomyces variotii has previously been reported as a causative pathogen for peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and shown to be usually sensitive to amphotericin B and resistant to voriconazole. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of P. variotii peritonitis in a liver transplant patient, which was unresponsive to initial liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) treatment and resolved dramatically after the addition of voriconazole. The present case provides evidence for the clinical and microbiological effectiveness of voriconazole combined with L-AmB in treating P. variotii peritonitis refractory to initial L-AmB treatment.

Treatment of invasive fungal infections in cancer patients-updated recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society of Hematology and Oncology (DGHO)

The Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society of Hematology and Oncology (DGHO) here presents its updated recommendations for the treatment of documented fungal infections. Invasive fungal infections are a main cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy regimens. In recent years, new antifungal agents have been licensed, and agents already approved have been studied in new indications. The choice of the most appropriate antifungal treatment depends on the fungal species suspected or identified, the patient's risk factors (e.g., length and depth of neutropenia), and the expected side effects. This guideline reviews the clinical studies that served as a basis for the following recommendations. All recommendations including the levels of evidence are summarized in tables to give the reader rapid access to the information.

A case report of tinea pedis caused by Trichosporon faecale in Iran

Trichosporon species are known as the causative agents of cutaneous infections and are involved in systemic, localized, as well as disseminated mycoses particularly in immunocompromised patients. Here we report a case of tinea pedis infection caused by Trichosporon faecale in a healthy 29-year-old woman in the north of Iran. Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics using direct examination as well as culture method revealed the causative agent as Trichosporon species. Molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region validated the initial result and indicated that this case of tinea pedis was caused by T. faecale. The patient was recovered after treatment with topical myconazole accompanied with oral fluconazole.