Disseminated fusariosis with ecthyma gangrenosum-like lesions in a refractory acute myeloid leukemia patient

Mardani, Masoud; Khodashahi, Rozita; Lotfali, Ensieh; Abolghasemi, Sara; Hakemi-Vala, Mojdeh

doi:10.18502/cmm.5.1.534

Disseminated fusariosis with ecthyma gangrenosum-like lesions in a refractory acute myeloid leukemia patient

Authors

Masoud Mardani ¹

Rozita Khodashahi ¹

Ensieh Lotfali ²

Sara Abolghasemi ³

Mojdeh Hakemi-Vala ⁴

¹ Infectious diseases and tropical medicine research center , Shahid Beheshti university of medical sciences,Tehran, Iran

² Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Infectious diseases and tropical medicine research center , Shahid Beheshti university of medical sciences ,Tehran, Iran

⁴ Department of microbiology, Medical school,Shahid Beheshti university of medical sciences , Tehran, Iran

10.18502/cmm.5.1.534

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Fusarium species is an opportunistic mold that causes disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. Given the high mortality rate of this infection, it is important to make a definite diagnosis when encountering suspected cases.

Case report: Herein, we presented a 35-year-old man diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia with a prolonged febrile neutropenic period and ecthyma gangrenosum-like lesions, along with fungemia and disseminated fusariosis. The patient died despite receiving combination therapy, perhaps due to the nonrecovery of neutrophil.

Conclusion: Ecthyma gangrenosum-like lesions due to disseminated fusariosis might be easily misdiagnosed. Consequently, more attention should be paid to the cutaneous lesions in immunocompromised patients.

Keywords

Disseminated fusariosis

Ecthyma gangrenosum-like lesions

Fungemia