Successful Treatment of Invasive Mucormycosis in Orthotopic Liver Transplant Population

Mucormycosis is caused by ubiquitous fungi and encompasses a variety of different opportunistic syndromes in humans that disproportionately affect immunocompromised patients. Mortality has been documented to range between 50 and 100%; however, location of infection greatly dictates likelihood of survival. Treatment of mucormycosis involves aggressive surgical intervention and combination therapy of antifungal agents. In solid organ transplant recipients, immunosuppressive agents used to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ pose additional obstacles in the treatment of invasive fungal infections. We report on 3 high models for end-stage liver disease (MELD-Na) score orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients who all were diagnosed with Rhizopus spp. infections with positive, 1-year outcomes after aggressive, individualized treatment.

Challenges of Diagnosing Severe Ehrlichiosis in Orthotopic Liver Transplant Recipients

In recent solid organ transplant recipients, acute febrile illness is usually a source of grave concern and a diagnostic dilemma, especially if no response is noted after initiation of broad antimicrobial therapy. Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (HME) is a tick-borne illness caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis and is not considered an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients such as solid organ transplant patients. Ehrlichiosis in immunocompromised patients can be life-threatening, and a strong index of suspicion is needed, especially in patients who live in endemic areas, for proper treatment initiation with doxycycline. We report a case of a 40-year-old male who received an orthotopic liver transplant six months earlier secondary to primary sclerosing cholangitis, on chronic immunosuppressive medication, who presented with complaints of sudden onset fever associated with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Initial extensive infectious workup was negative and no response to empiric antimicrobials. There was suspicion for ehrlichiosis prompting empiric doxycycline use. Subsequently, E. chaffeensis polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive, and the antibiotic regimen was de-escalated to only doxycycline with complete resolution of his symptoms and progressive improvement in previously abnormal biochemical indices.