Mucormycosis in a Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patient Caused by Syncephalastrum racemosum: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection caused by saprophytic zygomycetes. These fungal infections are caused by members of the mucorales. The clinical importance of zygomycosis, an emerging and frequently fatal mycotic disease, has increased during recent years, due to several risk factors such as (a) the use of broad-spectrum antibiotic, (b) use of empirical antifungal treatment (mainly triazoles), and (c) aggressive chemotherapy and sustained leucopenia (i.e., peripheral stem cell transplantation). An almost fulminant pneumonia caused by Syncephalastrum racemosum in an immunocompromised patient with an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is described. Despite treatment with amphotericin B, deoxycholate, caspofungin, and surgical resection of fungal bodies from both lungs, and survival of 10 months without relapsing from fungal infection, the patient died due to hematological complications from an unresponsive disease. Herein is the description of the first case of pulmonary infection caused by Syncephalastrum racemosum.

[Vaginal colonization by Candida spp. Frequency and description of the species isolated in asymptomatic women]. / Colonización vaginal por Candida spp. Frecuencia y descripción de las especies aisladas en mujeres asintomáticas.

BACKGROUND: During reproductive age 75% of women experience at least one episode of vulvovaginal candidiasis, approximately 6% to 55% of healthy women are asymptomatic carriers. In Mexico there are no current data of the frequency of vaginal colonization by Candida in the general population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of the colonization by Candida species in asymptomatic women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, open, observational, prospective, cross sectional study was carried out in adult women attending the cervical cytology department at Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González in Mexico City. The study was conducted from January to May 2013. RESULTS: There were a total of 150 samples of asymptomatic women between 15 and 77 years (mean 43 years). We obtained positive culture for Candida in 19 samples (12.6 %). 47% of the species corresponded to C. albicans, however, it was isolated other species such as C. krusei in 26%, C. glabrata (21%) and C. tropicalis by 15%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with data reported in the literature. It is relevant the isolation of non-albicans Candida species. These findings may be caused by an increase of inappropriate therapies.