Hepatic candidiasis in a kidney transplant recipient treated successfully with amphotericin B and itraconazole

Keywords: Candida; hepatic candidiasis; kidney;liver; mycosis; transplantationThe incidence of hepatic candidiasis is difficultto estimate because of diagnostic difficulties. Itsfrequency was 7% in a study of 562 adult patientswith leukaemia [1]. Hepatic candidiasis (HC), alsoreferred to as chronic disseminated candidiasis,hepatosplenic candidiasis and granulomatous hepaticcandidiasis, affects almost exclusively patients under-going remission induction chemotherapy or bonemarrow transplantation for acute leukaemia [2].It occurs on recovery following prolonged episodesof bone marrow dysfunction and neutropenia [1].Theliver,spleenandsometimesthekidneysareinfectedwith Candida. Occasionally, patients with other typesof immunosuppression (aplastic anaemia, lymphoma,sarcoma or liver transplantation) may develophepatosplenic candidiasis [3]. This is the first reportedcase of HC in a kidney transplant recipient.