Blastoschizomyces capitatus Infection in Patients with Leukemia: Report of 26 Cases Rodrigo Martino,1 Miguel Salavert,2 Rocío Parody,1 José F. Tomás,3 Rafael de la Cámara,4 Lourdes Vázquez,5 Isidro Jarque,2 Elena Prieto,3 José Luis Sastre,6 Ignacio Gadea,3 Javier Pemán,2 and Jorge Sierra,1 1Division of Clinical Hematology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona; 2Departments of Hematology and Microbiology, Hospital la Fe, Valencia; 3Departments of Hematology and Microbiology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, and 4Department of Hematology, Hospital la Princesa, Madrid; 5Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca; and 6Department of Hematology, Complexo Hospitalario de Ourense, Ourense, Spain Twenty-six cases of Blastoschizomyces capitatus infection were diagnosed in 25 patients at 7 tertiary care hematology units in Spain over a 10-year period. Most patients (92%) had acute leukemia and developed infection during a period of severe and prolonged neutropenia. Two patients had esophagitis, and the rest had invasive infection. Fungemia (20 cases) was a common finding, with frequent visceral dissemination. The 30-day mortality associated with this infection was 52%, compared with 57% among patients with systemic infection. In a univariate analysis, the following 3 variables had a positive impact on 30-day survival: removal of the central venous catheter within 5 days after the onset of infection (P = .02), a good performance status (P = .003), and receipt of systemic prophylactic or empirical antifungal therapy before infection onset (P = .006). Outcome for neutropenic patients with B. capitatus infection is still poor. Rapid removal of the central venous catheter and novel antifungal therapies are recommended for treatment of this rare infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2004;38:335-341 1058-4838/2004/3803-0004 Ann's NOTE: This is very serious. Please look at our section on probiotics. Blastoschizomyces capitatus Infection in Patients with Leukemia: Report of 26 Cases Rodrigo Martino,1 Miguel Salavert,2 Rocío Parody,1 José F. Tomás,3 Rafael de la Cámara,4 Lourdes Vázquez,5 Isidro Jarque,2 Elena Prieto,3 José Luis Sastre,6 Ignacio Gadea,3 Javier Pemán,2 and Jorge Sierra,1 1Division of Clinical Hematology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona; 2Departments of Hematology and Microbiology, Hospital la Fe, Valencia; 3Departments of Hematology and Microbiology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, and 4Department of Hematology, Hospital la Princesa, Madrid; 5Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca; and 6Department of Hematology, Complexo Hospitalario de Ourense, Ourense, Spain Twenty-six cases of Blastoschizomyces capitatus infection were diagnosed in 25 patients at 7 tertiary care hematology units in Spain over a 10-year period. Most patients (92%) had acute leukemia and developed infection during a period of severe and prolonged neutropenia. Two patients had esophagitis, and the rest had invasive infection. Fungemia (20 cases) was a common finding, with frequent visceral dissemination. The 30-day mortality associated with this infection was 52%, compared with 57% among patients with systemic infection. In a univariate analysis, the following 3 variables had a positive impact on 30-day survival: removal of the central venous catheter within 5 days after the onset of infection (P = .02), a good performance status (P = .003), and receipt of systemic prophylactic or empirical antifungal therapy before infection onset (P = .006). Outcome for neutropenic patients with B. capitatus infection is still poor. Rapid removal of the central venous catheter and novel antifungal therapies are recommended for treatment of this rare infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2004;38:335-341 1058-4838/2004/3803-0004 Ann's NOTE: This is very serious. Please look at our section on probiotics. Blastoschizomyces capitatus Infection in Patients with Leukemia: Report of 26 Cases Rodrigo Martino,1 Miguel Salavert,2 Rocío Parody,1 José F. Tomás,3 Rafael de la Cámara,4 Lourdes Vázquez,5 Isidro Jarque,2 Elena Prieto,3 José Luis Sastre,6 Ignacio Gadea,3 Javier Pemán,2 and Jorge Sierra,1 1Division of Clinical Hematology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona; 2Departments of Hematology and Microbiology, Hospital la Fe, Valencia; 3Departments of Hematology and Microbiology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, and 4Department of Hematology, Hospital la Princesa, Madrid; 5Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca; and 6Department of Hematology, Complexo Hospitalario de Ourense, Ourense, Spain Twenty-six cases of Blastoschizomyces capitatus infection were diagnosed in 25 patients at 7 tertiary care hematology units in Spain over a 10-year period. Most patients (92%) had acute leukemia and developed infection during a period of severe and prolonged neutropenia. Two patients had esophagitis, and the rest had invasive infection. Fungemia (20 cases) was a common finding, with frequent visceral dissemination. The 30-day mortality associated with this infection was 52%, compared with 57% among patients with systemic infection. In a univariate analysis, the following 3 variables had a positive impact on 30-day survival: removal of the central venous catheter within 5 days after the onset of infection (P = .02), a good performance status (P = .003), and receipt of systemic prophylactic or empirical antifungal therapy before infection onset (P = .006). Outcome for neutropenic patients with B. capitatus infection is still poor. Rapid removal of the central venous catheter and novel antifungal therapies are recommended for treatment of this rare infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2004;38:335-341 1058-4838/2004/3803-0004 Ann's NOTE: This is very serious. Please look at our section on probiotics. http://annieappleseedproject.org/sysimeflacac.html LINK to this section Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.