Fungemia caused by Yarrowia lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica is weakly pathogenic yeast, which is rarely isolated from the blood. We report unusual cases of Y. lipolytica fungemia occurred between October 2012 and June 2014 in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the UH Habib Bourguiba Sfax. During this period, 55 cases of Y. lipolytica septicemia were diagnosed. There were 44 men and 11 women (sex ratio = 4).The median age was 43 years. The broad-spectrum antibiotics (100 %), the catheterization (96 %), and the prolonged hospitalization in ICU (91 %) were the main risk factors. Patients were hospitalized in ICU, mostly, for polytraumatism (45.4 %), pneumopathy (9 %), and post-operative complications (7 %). Fever unresponsive to broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy was the predominant sign of infection (83.6 %). Y. lipolytica was isolated in one or several blood cultures (14.5 %) and in the catheter tip culture of nine patients (16.3 %).Treatment was based on intravenous amphotericin B (58.2 %), fluconazole (45.4 %) and/or removal catheter (69 %). Apyrexia or blood cultures sterilization was obtained for 34 patients (61.8 %). Y. lipolytica candidemia is an opportunistic and emerging human yeast pathogen. It can reach to the bloodstream of immunocompromised or critically ill patients during hospitalization through intravascular catheterization. Further clinical data need to be evaluated for formulating management strategies of seriously ill patients infected with uncommon fungal agents.