Opportunistic infection with Rhodotorula in cancer patients treated by chemotherapy: Two case reports

Rhodotorula species are commensal yeasts of variable pathogenicity. The aut hors report the case histories of two patients presenting with febrile neut ropenia. The first was a 3-year;old girl who had been treated with combinat ion chemotherapy for a tumour of the posterior fossa. The second was a 46-y ear-old man who had received chemotherapy for lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma, f ollowed by consolidation treatment with autologous bone marrow transplantat ion. Investigation revealed infection caused by Rhodotorula. The outcome wa s favourable after removal of the catheter in both patients. Rhodotorula sp ecies have been isolated during a variety of infectious complications. Almo st all published cases of fungaemia concern patients with central venous ca theters that have been in place over long periods, who have also been treat ed with broad spectrum antibiotics. Neoplasia represents the most frequent underlying disease. The pathogenicity of Rhodotorula species appears to be moderate in most cases; fungal therapy or the removal of infected catheters is generally effective. Nevertheless, Rhodotorula has been reported to pro voke fatal endocarditis or meningitis and can probably cause septic shock.