Abstract
Malassezia furfur, a lipophilic yeast of the genus Pityrosporum, causes tinea versicolor and only rarely invasive infections. Between Sept. 1983 and Aug. 1984, M furfur was isolated from blood cultures obtained during 5 episodes of suspected sepsis in 4 hospitalized infants with central venous catheters. The yeast usually qrew slowly and was not evident in broth unless subcultured on Sabouraud's medium with sterile olive oil. In 4 of the 5 episodes, a simultaneous buffy coat firam stain of blood from the central catheter also demonstrated the yeast. All patients had been hospitalized since birth and were receiving prolonged hyperalimentation therapy, including an intravenous fat emulsion. The infection generally presented as fever without focal findings; one afebrile infant developed episodes of apnea and bradycardia. Thrombocytopenia was a prominent finding in 3 of 4 patients. Patients responded rapidly to removal of the infected catheter and/or discontinuance of fat therapy. Amphotericin B was administered in three episodes. Since M furfur requires an exogenous source of long chain fatty acids for growth, the pathogenic potential of this yeast may be related to the introduction of intravenous fat therapy. This yeast infection may be more common than heretofore appreciated. Since routine cultures may be negative or growth may be poor, the use of buffy coat Gram stains and subcultures onto lipid enriched media should help greatly in its recognition.
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Long, J., Keyserling, H. & Nahmias, A. 1137 CATHETER-RELATED INFECTION IN INFANTS DUE TO AN UNUSUAL LIPOPHILIC YEAST - MALASSEZIA FURFUR. Pediatr Res 19, 300 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01167
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01167