Prototheca wickerhamii algaemia: an emerging infection in solid organ transplant recipients

Area of Science:

• Medical Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Transplant Medicine

Background:

• Prototheca wickerhamii is an alga rarely causing human disease.
• Infections are increasingly reported in immunocompromised individuals.
• Solid organ transplant recipients are a vulnerable population.

Observation:

• A fatal case of disseminated P. wickerhamii infection occurred in a renal transplant recipient.
• The initial presentation was a cutaneous lesion.
• Disseminated disease progressed despite voriconazole treatment.

Findings:

• Review of literature on protothecosis in solid organ transplant recipients.
• Demonstration of P. wickerhamii's potential for severe, disseminated disease.
• Voriconazole may not be effective in all cases.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering P. wickerhamii in immunocompromised patients with unusual infections.
• Emphasizes the diagnostic value of advanced microbiology techniques like MALDI-TOF.
• Suggests a need for further research into effective treatment strategies for protothecosis.