Scopulariopsis brevicaulis infection in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia
Ng, K.P.; Soo-Hoo, T.S.; Na, S.L.; Gan, G.G.; Sangkar, J.V.; Teh, A.K.
Medical Journal of Malaysia 58(4): 608-612
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5283 PMID: 15190640 Document Number: 554752
Scopulariopsis brevicaulis is a soil fungus normally associated with onychomycosis. It causes subcutaneous infection in immunocompromised patients and is rarely isolated from blood. A case of systemic Scopulariopsis brevicaulis infection was reported in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia. The patient developed persistent fever that did not respond to wide spectrum antibiotics and amphotericin B. Scopulariopsis brevicaulis was the only pathogen isolated from blood cultures. The fever subsided with itraconazole and there was no recurrence of fungal infection with prolonged maintenance of oral itraconazole.