Non . . Sporulating Chrysospor i um : An Opportunistic Fungallnfedion in a Neutropenic Patient

Systemic fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neutropenic patients. Approximately 25% of patients with leukemia have evidence of fungal infection at autopsy. The incidence of fungal infection is increasing in immunosuppressed patients especially in the hcmato-oncology patients. This is probably due to several factors including prolonged period of neutropenia, the use of broad spectrum antibacterial therapy, the increasing use of central venous access devices, and disruption of the normal mucosal barrier in patients postchemotherapy. Common fungi isolated fr01ll this group of patients are Aspergillus, Candida, Penicillium marneffei and JIIlucor. Increasingly, infections with fungus that were not previously recognised as pathogenic are being described. We present a case of systemic infection of a rare fungal organism, non-sporulating Chrysosporiu1n species in a neutropenic patient following an induction chemotherapy for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We were unable to determine the exact genus of Chlysosporium species. To our knowledge, with the clinical findings and the significant blood cultures, this is the first reported case in Malaysia.