Abstract
Infections due to Fusarium species are collectively referred to as fusariosis. Fusarium oxysporum has been reported to cause keratitis, onychomycosis, skin infections, catheter associated fungemia and has not been described as a cause of urinary tract infection. Here, we present the first case of fusariosis with urinary tract involvement in a 67 year old male, with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This case illustrates the ever increasing spectrum of rare but offending pathogenic fungi. Early diagnosis of infection with a specific pathogen may lead to changes in antifungal therapy and may be critical for an improved outcome.
Highlights
Fusarium species is a well-known plant pathogen, seen in an immunocompetent patient with soil and water worldwide[1]
Most cases of human fusariosis are caused by F. solani, F. oxysporum, and F. moniliforme but various other atypical strains are emerging as an important cause of infection, especially in patients having one or the other underlying risk factors like immunosuppression, tissue damage and neutropenia[2]
A case of urinary tract infection due to Fusarium proliferatum was published in a patient of agranulocytosis
Summary
Fusarium species is a well-known plant pathogen, seen in an immunocompetent patient with soil and water worldwide[1]. Fusarium species cause a broad spectrum of infections in humans, including superficial infections, as well as locally invasive and disseminated infections[2]. It causes invasive infections in immunocompromised patients, especially in bone marrow transplantation and long-term steroid therapy patients[1]. There has been a marked increase in opportunistic infection by fungal pathogens involving the urinary tract over the past decade[3]. Fungal urinary tract infections are most commonly caused by Candida species followed by Cryptococcus, Coccidioides, Aspergillus, Histoplasma and Curvularia species[3]. Fusarium species has rarely been previously reported as pathogenic fungi in the urinary tract in the English literature[4]
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