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Malassezia furfur bloodstream infection: still a diagnostic challenge in clinical practice

Rosalba Petruccelli1, Terenzio Cosio2,3, Valeria Camicia1

  • 1Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Policlinico Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.

Medical Mycology Case Reports
|July 29, 2024
PubMed

Insights

A case of Malassezia furfur fungemia and Bacillus cereus septicemia occurred in a T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia patient. Traditional methods diagnosed the fungus, unlike automated systems, but the patient did not survive.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Malassezia furfur is an opportunistic fungus causing cutaneous and systemic infections.
  • T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) is a hematologic malignancy that can predispose patients to infections.

Observation:

  • A 22-year-old male with T-ALL developed concurrent fungemia and bacteremia.
  • The fungemia was caused by Malassezia furfur.
  • The bacteremia was caused by Bacillus cereus.

Findings:

  • Microscopic examination and culture successfully identified M. furfur fungemia.
  • Automated blood culture systems and molecular methods failed to detect the fungal infection.
  • The patient succumbed to the infections despite treatment.

Implications:

  • Highlights the limitations of automated systems in diagnosing certain fungal infections like M. furfur.
  • Emphasizes the importance of traditional diagnostic methods in immunocompromised patients.
  • Underscores the severe prognosis of combined fungal and bacterial septicemia in T-ALL patients.
Keywords:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemiaFast microbiologyFungemiaMalassezia furfurUnmet need

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