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Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1990 Jul;28(7):1616–1622. doi: 10.1128/jcm.28.7.1616-1622.1990

Trichosporon beigelii, an emerging pathogen resistant to amphotericin B.

T J Walsh 1, G P Melcher 1, M G Rinaldi 1, J Lecciones 1, D A McGough 1, P Kelly 1, J Lee 1, D Callender 1, M Rubin 1, P A Pizzo 1
PMCID: PMC267999  PMID: 2380383

Abstract

Trichosporon beigelii caused fatal disseminated infections that were resistant to amphotericin B in two granulocytopenic patients. In vitro susceptibility studies demonstrated that both index strains of T. beigelii were inhibited but not killed by amphotericin B at achievable concentrations in serum. The minimum lethal concentration for both isolates was greater than or equal to 18 micrograms/ml. Five of seven other isolates were found to have a similar pattern of amphotericin B resistance. The fact that the minimum lethal concentration of T. beigelii was many times greater than its MIC was consistent with a resistance pattern of tolerance. We concluded that T. beigelii may be resistant in vitro to amphotericin B and that this in vitro resistance was correlated with refractory, disseminated trichosporonosis in granulocytopenic patients. T. beigelii should be included in the expanding list of amphotericin B-resistant fungi.

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Selected References

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