Catheter-associated aspergillosis of the chest wall following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Kerl K, Koch B, Fegeler W, Rossig C, Ehlert K, Groll AH

Abstract

K. Kerl, B. Koch, W. Fegeler, C. Rossig, K. Ehlert, A.H. Groll. Catheter-associated aspergillosis of the chest wall following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 182-185. All rights reserved Abstract: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) at the insertion site of central venous catheters is a rare event. Here we report the occurrence of chest wall aspergillosis at the insertion site of a Broviac catheter in a 5-year-old child undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The infection arose during profound granulocytopenia under conditions of reverse isolation with laminar air flow and high efficiency particulate air filtration and was successfully managed with repeat surgical debridement, voriconazole/caspofungin combination therapy guided by therapeutic drug monitoring, and adjunctive use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The case reflects the occurrence of IA despite reverse isolation and air decontamination, the principles of treatment of Aspergillus soft tissue infections in granulocytopenic patients, and the need for therapeutic drug monitoring of voriconazole particularly in young children.