We report the case of a patient who developed bacteraemia and septic pulmonary emboli with Lactobacillus acidophilus after taking a probiotic containing this organism.

2. Domingo P, Ris J, Lopez-Contreras J, Sancho F, Nolla J. Appendicitis disease; normal radiographs of the lungs; and cultures of the blood, due to Mycobacterium avium complex in a patient with AIDS [letter].urine, and gastric aspirate that were negative for mycobacteria. Amphotericin B Lipid Complex Therapy in an AIDS Patient with Rhodotorula rubra FungemiaRhodotorula species, yeasts that belong to the family Cryptococcaceae, characteristically produce a coral-red pigment, hence the term, ''red yeast'' (figure 1). Rhodotorula species are found in soil, water, plant materials, and other environmental sources. They have been isolated from the skin, nails, conjunctiva, and the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary tracts, and they are generally considered commensals or contaminants [1, 2]. However, in immunocompromised individuals, infections due to typically nonpathogenic commensal organisms such as Rhodotorula species may occur and can be lifethreatening. Patients with solid tumors, lymphoproliferative diseases, AIDS, chronic renal failure, and diabetes mellitus are at greatest risk. Reports of infections due to Rhodotorula species include septicemia, endocarditis, meningitis, ventriculitis, and peritonitis [3, 4]. Other Figure 1. Culture of blood, obtained from a 50-year-old patient with than immunologic compromise, the common risk factor associated AIDS, on Sabouraud-dextrose agar that yielded Rhodotorula rubra. with these infections in most patients is the use of indwelling vascular catheters [3, 5,6].The treatment of catheter-related infections due to Rhodotorula gal therapy either alone or together are unclear. We report a case species is controversial. The roles of catheter removal and antifunof Rhodotorula fungemia in a patient with AIDS who required removal of his Hickman catheter and treatment with amphotericin B lipid complex to sterilize his blood.Financial support: The Liposome Company, Princeton, New Jersey.A 50-year-old homosexual man was diagnosed with AIDS in 1992. drome, esophageal candidiasis, and chronic renal insufficiency sec-

Successful maintenance therapy with weekly interferon-alpha for HIV-associated multicentric Castleman's disease is described.

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