[Pulmonary infection caused by Blastoschizomices capitatus]

Geotrichum capitatum, now known as Blastoschizomyces capitatus, can be responsible for several opportunistic infections (systemic infection or localized at lungs, liver, kidney, encephalitis or meningitis) in an immunocompromised host, especially in those patients affected by leukaemia or under immunosuppressive therapies. A 66-year-old woman with polimyosite under steroid and immunosuppressant therapy was hospitalized in ICU for an acute respiratory distress with moderate hypoxaemia and normocapnia. Pulmonary X-ray revealed a bilateral pneumonia. Hypoxaemia became severe 48 hours later and the patient underwent mechanical ventilation and empirical antibiotic therapy. Blood cultures, urine cultures and serological tests were negative, while yeast was identified by Gram's stain of bronchoaspirate. Before identifying the yeasts Fluconazole was added to therapy. At day 5 the clinical conditions remained severe and Candida spp were excluded: so Fluconazole was switched to liposomal Amphotericin B. At day 8 B. capitatus was identified. At day 26 the patient died of refractory respiratory insufficiency. B. capitatus infection is infrequent and its prognosis is severe, with a high mortality rate (>50%). Microbiological diagnosis requires time to characterize the yeast. At present no standard therapy is available although some authors report a good susceptibility to Amphotericin B and Voriconazole (100%), according to NCCLS guidelines.