Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease
Volume 66, Issue 3 , Pages 318-321, March 2010

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

  • T. Ronan Leahy

      Affiliations

    • Genomic Research Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, James's St, Dublin, Ireland
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +353-1-6751984; fax: +1-416-813-8404.
    • Formerly affiliated with Division of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
    • ,
  • Angela S. Punnett

      Affiliations

    • Division of Haematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
    • ,
  • Susan E. Richardson

      Affiliations

    • Division of Microbiology, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto
    • ,
  • Farhad Gharabaghi

      Affiliations

    • Division of Microbiology, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
    • ,
  • Anupma Wadhwa

      Affiliations

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

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

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PII: S0732-8893(09)00405-2

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2009.09.019

Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease
Volume 66, Issue 3 , Pages 318-321, March 2010

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