Invasive Mycotic Infections Caused by Chaetomium perlucidum , a New Agent of Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We report the first two cases of invasive human mycoses caused by the phaeoid ascomycete, Chaetomium perlucidum , and review the English literature regarding invasive Chaetomium infections. Fatal disseminated disease involving the brain, heart, lungs, and spleen is described in an acute myelogenous leukemia patient. A second patient with a history of asthma and chronic bronchiectasis experiencing right-middle-lobe syndrome grew C. perlucidum from lung tissue. This study adds C. perlucidum to the list of other known neurotropic Chaetomium species, C. atrobrunneum and C. strumarium , and also documents this organism's ability to disseminate beyond the central nervous system.