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Protothecosis after liver transplantation
Author(s) -
Narita Masashi,
Muder Robert R.,
Cacciarelli Thomas V.,
Singh Nina
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
liver transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.814
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1527-6473
pISSN - 1527-6465
DOI - 10.1002/lt.21565
Subject(s) - medicine , liver transplantation , transplantation , surgery
Prototheca species are unicellular algae of low virulence that are rarely associated with human infections. We report a liver transplant recipient with disseminated protothecosis and review the literature on this unusual opportunistic infection in transplant recipients. Of 9 cases, including ours, 5 had a localized infection, and 4 had disseminated protothecosis. Seven cases were due to Prototheca wickerhamii , and 2 were due to Prototheca zopfii . Overall mortality in transplant recipients with Prototheca infections was 88% (7/8). All 4 cases of disseminated protothecosis died despite therapy with amphotericin B. Posttransplant protothecosis is a rare but significant infection that is associated with a grave prognosis. Liver Transpl 14: 1211–1215, 2008. © 2008 AASLD.