Disseminated candidiasis: A rare presentation of acute leukemia

Abstract

Disseminated fungal disease most commonly found in patients with hematologic malignancies or immunecompromised state, is rarely seen. Though the reported prevalence ranges from 20% to 40%, most fungal microabscesses occur in leukemic patients and are caused by candida albicans; others include cryptococcosis, mucormycosis and histoplasmosis. Hepatosplenic candidiasis also known as chronic disseminated candidiasis has been described in patients with acute leukemia following recovering from neutropenia, pathogenesis of which is not understood, thought to be due to exacerbated inflammatory reaction resulting in an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. The purpose of presenting this case is to describe variable presentation of disseminated candidiasis which can be presenting feature of acute leukemia even without neutropenia and atypical radiological pattern in hepatosplenic candidiasis.