Molecular identification of phaeohyphomycosis due to Alternaria infectoria in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia—a case report

Received 28 June 2009; accepted 30 September 2009. published online 06 November 2009.

Abstract

We report the case of a 15-year old with acute myeloid leukemia who developed breakthrough invasive fungal rhinitis. The fungus was identified as Alternaria infectoria by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and successfully treated by surgical excision and combination antifungal therapy, emphasizing the utility of fungal PCR in timely diagnosis of invasive fungal infections.

Keywords: Alternaria infectoria, Phaeohyphomycosis, Polymerase chain reaction, Caspofungin, Acute myeloid leukemia

a Genomic Research Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, James's St, Dublin, Ireland

b Division of Haematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

c Division of Microbiology, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto

d Division of Microbiology, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

e Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

Corresponding author. Tel.: +353-1-6751984; fax: +1-416-813-8404.

1 Formerly affiliated with Division of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.

PII: S0732-8893(09)00405-2

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2009.09.019

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