Talaromycosis in a Lung Cancer Patient: A Rare Case

Emergent fungal infections are rare conditions that frequently cause death. Talaromycosis is a fungal infection caused by Talaromyces sp. that is predominantly prevalent in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome caused by human immunodeficiency virus infection, but in recent years we have noticed increasing reports of cases in people with other underlying conditions. We report a case of talaromycosis in a Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer female patient undergoing whole brain radiation therapy who presented to us with increasing dyspnea, cough and fever. The diagnosis was based on sputum and blood cultures, and even though our patient received anti-fungal treatment, the outcome was fatal. This case shows that a high index of suspicion could be essential for such a highly lethal but potentially treatable fungal infection.