Skip to main content
Log in

An unusual case of Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei arthritis in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia before chemotherapy

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Clinical Rheumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 79-year-old male with acute myelogenous leukemia developed acute right knee arthritis during admission, after the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics before chemotherapy. The initial synovial fluid sample appeared to be mildly inflammatory with a low white cell count. The fungal septic arthritis was not diagnosed until Candida tropicalis, a rare species of Candida, was isolated in the synovial fluid. Although fluconazole is effective in treating the microorganism, the untreated leukemia rendered the infection incurable and led to the growth of fluconazole-resistant Candida krusei. We reported the unusual case of fungal arthritis and reviewed the literature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Cuende E, Barbadillo C, E-Mazzucchelli R, Isasi C, Trujillo A, Andreu JL (1993) Candida arthritis in adult patients who are not intravenous drug addicts: report of three cases and review of the literature. Semin Arthritis Rheum 22:224–241

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fainstein V, Gilmore C, Hopfer RL, Maksymiuk A, Bodey GP (1982) Septic arthritis due to Candida species in patients with cancer: report of five cases and review of the literature. Rev Infect Dis 4:78–85

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Nguyen VQ, Penn RL (1987) Candida krusei infectious arthritis. A rare complication of neutropenia. Am J Med 83:963–965

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Weers-Pothoff G, Havermans JF, Kamphuis J, Sinnige HA, Meis JF (1997) Candida tropicalis arthritis in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia successfully treated with fluconazole: case report and review of the literature. Infection 25:109–111

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Karsh J (1988) Candida arthritis. In: Spinoza L, Goldemberg DL, Arnett FC et al (eds) Infection in the rheumatic diseases. Grune & Stratton, Orlando, FL, pp 189–197

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sim JP, Kho BC, Liu HS, Yung R, Chan JC (2005) Candida tropicalis arthritis of the knee in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: successful treatment with caspofungin. Hong Kong Med J 11:120–123

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Poplack DG, Jacobs SA (1975) Candida arthritis treated with amphotericin B. J Pediatr 87:989–990

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mandel DR, Segal AM, Wysenbeek AJ, Calabrese LH (1984) Two unusual strains of Candida arthritis. Am J Med Sci 288:25–27

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Leung AY, Chim CS, Ho PL, Cheng VC, Yuen KY, Lie AK et al (2002) Candida tropicalis fungaemia in adult patients with haematological malignancies: clinical features and risk factors. J Hosp Infect 50:316–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Abi-Said D, Anaissie E, Uzun O, Raad I, Pinzcowski H, Vartivarian S (1997) The epidemiology of hematogenous candidiasis caused by different Candida species. Clin Infect Dis 24:1122–1128

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chung-Tei Chou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, HP., Yen, YF., Chen, WS. et al. An unusual case of Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei arthritis in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia before chemotherapy. Clin Rheumatol 26, 1195–1197 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-006-0336-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-006-0336-9

Keywords

Navigation