Infections due to dematiaceous fungi in organ transplant recipients: case report and review

Abstract

Dematiaceous fungi are being increasingly recognized as pathogens in organ transplant recipients. We describe a case of invasive esophagitis due to Cladophialophora bantiana in a small bowel transplant recipient and review a total of 34 cases of infections due to dematiaceous fungi in organ transplant recipients. The median time to the onset of fungal infection after transplantation was 22 months. Clinically, two distinct patterns of infections were observed: 79% of the patients had skin and/or soft-tissue infections or joint infections (predominantly due to Exophiala species), and 21% had systemic invasive infections (predominantly brain abscesses due to Ochroconis gallopavum [Dactylaria gallopava, Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava]). The overall mortality rate among the patients with skin and/or soft-tissue infections or joint infections and the patients with systemic invasive disease was 7% and 57%, respectively; two of five patients with brain abscesses were cured with antifungal therapy. Recognition of infections due to dematiaceous fungi is important since these infections, unlike invasive aspergillosis, may be more amenable to therapy.