Pan-azole-Resistant Candida guilliermondii from a Leukemia Patient’s Silent Funguria

Abstract

Little is still known about epidemiology and susceptibilities of Candida guilliermondii. This rare species is part of the human mucosal surfaces and skin flora, so that significance of isolation from non-sterile sites (such as airways, urinary and genital tracts) is debatable. It shows a reduced innate virulence compared with C. albicans, and has been observed to cause fungemia and deep-seated infections in compromised hosts. Bloodstream infections often involve cancer and intensive care unit patients and may be central venous catheter(CVC)-related; also, infection can be transmitted from patient to patient, and fungemia can develop at home, due to CVC handling by the patient or relatives. Finally, C. guilliermondii may cause acute osteomyelitis, chronic onychomycosis, septic arthritis and endocarditis [1–3]. Patients with hematologic malignancies admitted to the Department of Hematology of the Pescara civic hospital (Italy) are routinely screened for colonization by bacteria