ABSTRACT
Kodamaea (Pichia) ohmeri is a rare fungal pathogen that has recently been identified as an etiological agent of fungemia in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of K. ohmeri fungemia after colonoscopic stent insertion in a 73-year-old female who was successfully treated with a 2-week course of amphotericin B without stent removal. This is the first case report of K. ohmeri fungemia that developed after colonoscopic stent insertion.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Amphotericin B , Colonoscopy , Fungemia , Immunocompromised Host , StentsABSTRACT
Pichia ohmeri is a rare fungal pathogen for human infection. To date, only 5 cases of P. ohmeri infection have been reported including fungemia, disseminated infection and peritonitis. We report the first case of malignant external otitis and mastoid osteomyelitis caused by P. ohmeri. The patient had a long history of diabetes, hypertension and arrrhythmia. The patient was admitted to the hospital because of otorrhea, otalgia and hearing difficulty for 3 months. Internal auditory canal MRI showed osteomyelitis of left mastoid bone and skull base. Culture of ear discharge and bone biopsy specimen grew P. ohmeri. The patient had been treated with amphotericin-B followed by fluconazole.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biopsy , Ear , Earache , Fluconazole , Fungemia , Hearing , Hypertension , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mastoid , Osteomyelitis , Otitis Externa , Peritonitis , Pichia , Skull BaseABSTRACT
Pichia ohmeri is an yeast-like fungus used in the food industry for fermentation. This organism has been implicated in human disease only in a few case reports. We describe herewith two cases of Pichia ohmeri fungemia in immunocompromised pediatric patients with central venous catheters. A 7-year-old patient with Burkitt's lymphoma undergoing chemotherapy and a newborn with low birth weight developed fungemia during hospitalizations. Both patients were receiving parenteral nutrition through central venous catheters. Both patients succumbed despite empiric treatment with amphotericin B in Case 1. A brief review of the literature ensues with the case reports.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Amphotericin B , Burkitt Lymphoma , Central Venous Catheters , Drug Therapy , Fermentation , Food Industry , Fungemia , Fungi , Hospitalization , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Parenteral Nutrition , PichiaABSTRACT
Pichia ohmeri is a very rare pathogen of human infection. To date, two cases of P. ohmeri infection were reported worldwide. We have experienced a case of catheter-related P. ohmeri fungemia. The patient had been admitted due to cerebrovascular accident in rehabilitation center since August 1998. He had been bedridden due to previous cerebrovascular accident and undergone several episodes of nosocomial infection. Multiple antimicrobial agents had been used with central venous catheter for parenteral nutrition. On February 1999, he had developed fever and dyspnea. Vancomycin and imipenem were administered empirically and central venous catheter was removed on the impression of central venous catheter related infection. Blood culture and catheter tip culture grew P. ohmeri. He developed septic shock and finally led to death before the administration of amphotericin B.