Candida hellenica var. hellenica as a possible cause of respiratory infection in a child with acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Candida hellenica var. hellenica (teleomorph Zygoascus meyerae) is a member of the genus Zygoascus that comprises species isolated from environmental sources such as damaged grapes. A case of a possible pneumonia due to this uncommon yeast in a pediatric oncology patient suffering from acute myeloid leukemia is described. To our knowledge, this is the first report concerning the isolation of the species from a pediatric patient and the second in humans.

Keywords:

• Candida hellenica
• neutropenia
• pneumonia

Acknowledgments

We thank Mrs Afroditi Milioni and Mrs Stavroula Kritikou working in the Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodostrian University of Athens and Mrs Sofia Kotsinou working in the 1st Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki for their skillful technical work and collaboration.

Declaration of interest: AV receives unrestricted research grants from Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, and Schering-Plough.

This paper was first published online on Early Online on 8 March 2011.