No abstract

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) in liver transplant recipients is associated with grave outcomes. We reviewed 116 individual cases reported in the literature from 1985 to 2013. IA was diagnosed after a median of 25 days after transplantation and involved a single organ in 51% of the cases, whereas in the remaining cases, multiple sites were involved. The most common infecting Aspergillus species were Aspergillus fumigatus (73%), Aspergillus flavus (14%), and Aspergillus terreus (8%). Amphotericin B was the drug most frequently used, and it was followed by voriconazole and itraconazole. Combination regimens were used in 51% of the cases. The overall 1-year cumulative survival probability was 35% [95% confidence interval (CI) 5 24.6%-49.6%]. Survival was significantly higher for patients reported from the year 2000 and thereafter (P < 0.001), for those diagnosed with IA more than 30 days after transplantation versus those diagnosed earlier (P 5 0.019), and for patients without renal failure (P 5 0.020). Additionally, the use of voriconazole was significantly associated with a higher probability of survival (P < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that subjects with the involvement of multiple sites had a 2.52 times higher risk of a negative outcome (95% CI 5 1.08-5.87) than those with the involvement of a single site. Thus, IA causes life-threatening infections in liver transplant recipients. Predictors associated with poor outcomes may help clinicians to optimize the management of this infection.

A case of systemic infection due to Saprochaete capitata in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is described. A review of the literature was conducted to identify all reported cases of this infection described between 1977 and August 2013. One hundred and four cases (included the present one) were identified. The median age of the patients was 56 years and 56% were males. Comorbidities included acute myeloid leukemia (52%), acute lymphoid leukemia (22%), other hematological malignancies (13%) and non-hematological diseases (9%). At the time of the infection, 82% of the patients were neutropenic. In 75% of the cases, the yeast was isolated from blood culture, in 25% from other sterile sites. Empirical treatment was done in 36% of the cases. Fifty-eight percent of the individual cases were treated with a combination or a sequential antifungal therapy. Amphotericin B was the antifungal drug most commonly used, followed by voriconazole and itraconazole. The overall crude mortality was 60%. Saprochaete capitata causes life-threatening infections in neutropenic patients. This comprehensive literature review may help the clinician to optimize the management of this rare infection.