Transfusion-associated sepsis caused by Candida parapsilosis

Background and Objectives: The contamination of blood components by bacteri a is an adverse event, which, although very uncommon, has an exceptionally high mortality rate. Case Report: A patient suffering from terminal adenocarcinoma of the ovary received a red blood cell unit. During the transfusion, the patient develop ed fever. Cultures of both the patient's blood and the blood unit were done , and she was treated with antibiotics. Forty-eight and seventy-two hours a fter the transfusion, Candida parapsilosis grew in the blood cultures of th e red blood cell bag and of the patient. The infection was controlled with amphotericin. The patient died from cancer progression. Conclusion: We describe the first case of transfusion-associated sepsis cau sed by C. parapsilosis. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.