Trichosporon species are emerging as opportunistic pathogens that mainly affect immunocompromised patients. Patients with onco-hematological diseases usually present with fungemia by Trichosporon species, especially by T. asahii. Reports of this infection by other species of the genus are uncommon. Thus, in this paper, we present a case of T. inkin fungemia in a 39-year-old female patient with intestinal obstruction and absence of malignant hematological diseases. The late mycological diagnosis, the ineffective control of her pre-existing conditions and consequent failure to start antifungal therapy were the contributing factors for the patient's death.
Keywords: Invasive trichosporonosis; T. inkin; Trichosporon infection; antifungal therapy; diagnosis.
Lay abstract Trichosporon species have been emerged as opportunistic fungi that mainly affect patients with low immunity. Hematological (blood related) cancer patients usually present with bloodstream infection with Trichosporon species, particularly Trichosporon asahii. Reports of this infection by other species of the genus are uncommon. Thus, in this paper, we present a case of bloodstream infection by Trichosporon inkin in a 39-year-old female patient with intestinal obstruction and absence of hematological cancer. The late fungal diagnosis, the ineffective control of the first symptoms and consequent failure to start specific medication were the factors that led to the patient's death.