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Case Reports
. 2022 Mar 7:28:e01469.
doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01469. eCollection 2022.

Pleural empyema due to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa: A rare yet severe complication of a previously undiagnosed cancer patient

Ana Isabel Ferreira  1 , Hugo Cruz  2 , Ridhi Ranchor  3 , Bruno S Silva  4 , Joana Serôdio  5 , Virgínia Lopes  2 , Maria Helena Ramos  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pleural empyema due to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa: A rare yet severe complication of a previously undiagnosed cancer patient

Ana Isabel Ferreira et al. IDCases. .

Abstract

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (R. mucilaginosa) has been increasingly recognized as an emerging opportunistic pathogen causing invasive fungal infection, mainly in immunosuppressed patients. We report the case of a previously undiagnosed lung cancer patient with a pleural empyema due to R. mucilaginosa.

Keywords: Amphotericin B; Cancer patient; Invasive fungal infection; MALDI-TOF MS; Pleural empyema; Rhodotorula mucilaginosa.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Chest radiography showing a mass-like opacity in the upper third of the left lung (red arrow) and a moderate volume pleural effusion (blue arrow); mediastinal shift is also observed.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Chest CT scan confirming the presence of a large heterogeneous mass in the upper lobe of the left lung with mediastinal invasion and vascular incarceration, as well as chest wall invasion (A: lung window; B: mediastinal window; note the presence of central tumor necrosis; C: moderate volume pleural effusion, causing passive atelectasis of the left lower lobe).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Microscopic examination of the blood smear by Gram stain after 91.5 h of incubation into the BD BACTEC™ FX (Becton Dickinson) blood culture system.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Macroscopic appearance of R. mucilaginosa colonies in chocolate agar after 24 h of incubation at 35 ± 2 °C in 5% CO2.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Mass spectrum of R. mucilaginosa acquired by MALDI-TOF MS on VITEK® MS (bioMérieux), with an identification rate of 99.9%.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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