An unusual case of nosocomial trichosporon asahii fungemia in a patient with tuberculous meningitis

Abstract

Introduction: Invasive Trichosporon species have been documented mostly in neutropenic patients with underlying hematological malignancies with high mortality, and in critically ill patients exposed to multiple invasive medical procedures. This fungus has been recognized as the second or third most common agent of yeast fungemia. Case Presentation: This study reports on invasive infection with Trichosporon asahii in a non-neutropenic patient with Tuberculous meningitis, who was a known case of diabetes mellitus type II. Conclusions: Although fungemia due to Trichosporon species is an opportunistic pathogen in granulocytopenic patients, there is a steady increase in the number of such cases in non-neutropenic and non-hematological malignant patients. Thus, clinicians as well as microbiologists should be aware of such infections in critically ill patients as early diagnosis and timely management with appropriate antifungal drugs could decrease morbidity and mortality rate.