Disseminated Trichosporon asahii infection in a preterm

Abstract

Trichosporon asahii (T asahii) is an uncommon cause of yeast infection in preterms. We present a 27-week gestational age female with clinical evidence of sepsis, such as patchy infiltrations on chest roentgenogram, and yeast growing in urine and blood cultures. Conventional amphotericin B was empirically added in a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, q8h to standard protocol of the neonatal intensive care unit. Dose of the drug was induced to 1 mg/kg because the patient had not improved when the organism was identified as T asahii on the pretreatment urine and blood cultures. Both cultures were clear on the 10th day of amphotericin B therapy and treatment was ceased on the 21st day. The patient was healthy when discharged. Trichosporon infections in neonates have been almost uniformly fatal. Most strains of T asahii may be confused with Candida spp. on initial culture examinations. Therefore, delays in appropriate treatment may occur.