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Opportunistic Trichosporon pneumonia. Association with invasive aspergillosis
Abstract:
Two severely immunocompromised patients suffered extensive pulmonary infection with Trichosporon cutaneum (T beigelii) and Aspergillus species. In one patient, the T cutaneum demonstrated yeast forms in tissue sections. The other patient had T cutaneum fungemia prior to death, and examination of lung tissue demonstrated both yeast and hyphal forms. To our knowledge, these patients are the first described with polymycotic infection involving T cutaneum and Aspergillus species. Trichosporon cutaneum must be added to Candida, Torulopsis, and Cryptococcus species as a cause of visceral opportunistic yeast infection.
Insights
Two immunocompromised patients developed severe lung infections with Trichosporon cutaneum and Aspergillus species. This study identifies Trichosporon cutaneum as a significant cause of opportunistic yeast infections in visceral organs.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunocompromised Host Research
Background:
- Severely immunocompromised patients are susceptible to opportunistic fungal infections.
- Polymycotic infections, involving multiple fungal species, pose significant clinical challenges.
- Trichosporon cutaneum is an emerging fungal pathogen.
Observation:
- Two cases of extensive pulmonary infection by Trichosporon cutaneum (T. beigelii) and Aspergillus species in severely immunocompromised patients are presented.
- In one patient, Trichosporon cutaneum was observed in yeast forms within tissue sections.
- The second patient experienced fungemia due to T. cutaneum, with both yeast and hyphal forms found in lung tissue post-mortem.
Findings:
- This study describes the first reported cases of polymycotic infection involving both Trichosporon cutaneum and Aspergillus species.
- The findings confirm the ability of Trichosporon cutaneum to cause disseminated, visceral infections.
- Morphological evidence of T. cutaneum in both yeast and hyphal forms was observed in infected tissues.
Implications:
- Trichosporon cutaneum should be recognized as an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing visceral infections.
- The spectrum of opportunistic yeast infections now includes T. cutaneum, alongside Candida, Torulopsis, and Cryptococcus species.
- Clinicians should consider T. cutaneum in the differential diagnosis of invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised individuals.