Phialemonium fungemia: two documented nosocomial cases

Two fungal isolates recovered from the blood of two immunosuppressed patients are described as Phialemonium curvatum. One patient died, while the other, who was infected with Exophiala jeanselmei at the same time, survived after successful treatment with itraconazole. Analysis of internal transcribed spacer sequences demonstrated that the isolates belonged to the same strain and that the source of infection was probably a catheter. The taxonomic position of P. curvatum is discussed, and Phialemonium dimorphosporum is considered a synonym. The in vitro inhibitory activities of six antifungal agents (amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketaconazole, miconazole, flucytosine, and fluconazole) were determined against seven isolates of Phialemonium. Except for flucytosine, all of them were remarkably effective. Phialemonium should be added to the list of potential causes of nosocomial fungemia in cancer patients.