Abstract
Introduction: The relentless increase in the worldwide incidence of obesity has intensified the need for new treatments that are effective and safe. The intragastric balloon (IGB) is one such treatment that emerged. Fungal biofilms formed on medical devices and their relationship to infectious diseases is now well-established. However, studies regarding the microbial contamination suffered by this device are still incipient. Case Report: We report here the first case of an IGB affected by a Candida glabrata biofilm, characterized by microbiological and scanning electron microscopy techniques. We verified yeasts, of the same species, in the mucosa of the duodenum, which was accompanied by lymphocytic infiltrate, as revealed through histopathological investigation. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of biofilm investigation on this type of device and to recognize the potential repercussions for the carrier since obese patients are immunocompromised and may undergo surgical interventions, thereby aggravating the risk of candidemia.
Highlights
The relentless increase in the worldwide incidence of obesity has intensified the need for new treatments that are effective and safe
Our findings highlight the importance of biofilm investigation on this type of device and to recognize the potential repercussions for the carrier since obese patients are immunocompromised and may undergo surgical interventions, thereby aggravating the risk of candidemia
To our knowledge this is the first report of a fungal biofilm on an intragastric balloon (IGB), in a patient conveying some signs and symptoms possibly related to the presence of the biofilm and the inflammation found in the duodenum (Figure 5)
Summary
Our findings highlight the importance of biofilm investigation on this type of device and to recognize the potential repercussions for the carrier since obese patients are immunocompromised and may undergo surgical interventions, thereby aggravating the risk of candidemia.
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