Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
Automation of Bio-Atomic Force Microscope Measurements on Hundreds of C. albicans Cells
Published on: April 2, 2021
Magnusiomyces capitatus Peritonitis in a Child With Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia as a Breakthrough Infection During
Ayşe Bariş1, Haşim Gencer, Nazan Dalgiç
1From the University of Health Sciences, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abstract:
Magnusiomyces capitatus is an emerging opportunistic fungal pathogen particularly in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of a M. capitatus peritonitis in child with acute lymphocytic leukemia as a breakthrough infection during caspofungin therapy. The possibility of breakthrough infections caused by M. capitatus must be taken into consideration, particularly in immunosupressed patients being treated for systemic fungal infections by caspofungin. Although there are no defined breakpoints for susceptibility testing of M.capitatus, minimal inhibitory concentration results can be helpful for therapy. Antifungal treatment with amphotericin B lipid complex plus flucytosine can be effective against infections caused by M. capitatus.
Insights
Magnusiomyces capitatus can cause breakthrough fungal infections in immunocompromised patients, even during caspofungin treatment. Combination therapy with amphotericin B lipid complex and flucytosine showed effectiveness against this opportunistic pathogen.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Case Study
Background:
- Magnusiomyces capitatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen increasingly recognized in immunocompromised individuals.
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) treatment often involves immunosuppression, increasing susceptibility to fungal infections.
Observation:
- A pediatric case of peritonitis caused by Magnusiomyces capitatus is presented.
- This infection occurred as a breakthrough event during caspofungin therapy for a child with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Findings:
- Breakthrough infections with M. capitatus are a concern in immunosuppressed patients receiving caspofungin.
- While standardized susceptibility breakpoints for M. capitatus are lacking, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values can guide therapeutic decisions.
- Successful treatment was achieved using a combination of amphotericin B lipid complex and flucytosine.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider M. capitatus in the differential diagnosis of fungal infections in immunocompromised patients, especially those on caspofungin.
- Antifungal susceptibility testing, even without defined breakpoints, may provide valuable therapeutic guidance.
- Combination antifungal therapy, including amphotericin B lipid complex and flucytosine, represents a viable treatment strategy for M. capitatus infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...