Trichosporon beigelii infection: a review

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Hematology

Background:

• Invasive Trichosporon beigelii infections pose a significant threat, particularly to immunocompromised individuals.
• This yeast is an emerging cause of mortality in susceptible patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of invasive Trichosporon beigelii infections.
• To evaluate the efficacy of antifungal therapy in neutropenic patients with disseminated infections.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 19 patients with invasive Trichosporon beigelii infection at M. D. Anderson Hospital (1974-1984).
• Analysis of 24 additional cases from medical literature.
• Correlation of patient neutropenia status with infection outcomes.

Main Results:

• A 74% overall mortality rate was observed in the studied patient cohort.
• Invasive infections presented as febrile illness or pneumonia, often undiagnosed before death.
• Polymicrobial infections were common, and recovery was linked to the resolution of myelosuppression.

Conclusions:

• Trichosporon beigelii is a critical pathogen in immunosuppressed patients, with high mortality.
• Antifungal therapy alone was insufficient for neutropenic patients with disseminated infections.
• Leukemia remission and subsequent resolution of neutropenia were associated with patient survival.