Disseminated fusariosis in children: Report of two cases in girls with leukemia

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Disseminated fusariosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the hyaline fungus Fusarium spp. and occurs mainly in patients with leukemia. CASE REPORT: Two cases of disseminated fusariosis in pediatric patients are presented. Profound and prolonged neutropenia, fever, myalgia, and skin lesions in the legs were present in two girls with leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. In the first case, infection by Fusarium spp. was confirmed by anatomopathological findings, pathogen isolation, and polymerase chain reaction. In the second case, Fusarium solani infection was confirmed by mass spectrometry using blood cultures and skin lesion samples. CONCLUSION: It is important to consider disseminated fusariosis in high-risk patients who present with profound and prolonged neutropenia and persistent fever that does not resolve after broad-spectrum antibiotics to initiate antifungal therapy in a timely manner.