FUSARIUM MENINGOENCEPHALITIS IN A CHILD WITH ACUTE-LEUKEMIA
Creator
Agamanolis D P; Kalwinsky D K; Krill C E; Dasu S; Halasa B; Galloway P G
Publisher
Neuropediatrics
Date
1991
1991-05
Description
A 15-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) developed disseminated fusarium infection with meningoencephalitis following a contaminated skin wound. With antifungal therapy, the cutaneous lesions cleared but central nervous system (CNS) infection persisted causing a fibrosing meningitis and a brain granuloma. Fusaria are soil saprophytes that are more commonly associated with superficial eye and skin lesions, but may also cause severe systemic infections with CNS involvement in immuno-compromised patients. The organism may be confused with Aspergillus in tissue sections, and can only be diagnosed by culture.