Fungal arthritis of the hip in patient with aplastic anaemia

Aplastic anaemia is a rare and serious disease characterised by severe immunosuppression due to prolonged neutropenia and the use of immunosuppressants such as corticosteroids, cyclosporine and antithymocyte globulin. Candida species are pathogens of low virulence colonising the skin and the digestive tract of many healthy individuals. Nonetheless, the incidence of invasive candidal infection is increasing. The widespread use of central intravascular catheters, invasive procedures, broad-spectrum antibiotics and immunosuppresion predisposes patients to these infections. Eye, skin, cardiac, liver, spleen and brain infection are the most common sites of invasive candidiasis. Bone and joint infections are less frequent and Candida hip septic arthritis is extremely rare. We present here a patient treated for aplastic anaemia, who developed fungal arthritis of the hip and systemic candidaemia.