Table 1. Clinical spectrum of fusariosis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients

Table 2. Preventive Measures for Fusariosis

a) Educate patients about the need to avoid activities associated with an increased risk of skin breakdown (e.g. clipping nails during periods

    of immunosuppression), and exposure of wounds to contaminated tap water

b) Preventive measures before immunosuppression:

-         Perform debridement of infected wounds and apply topical antifungal agents (terbinafine, natamycin, other) if culture yields Fusarium spp.

c) Preventive measures in patients with prior history of fusariosis:

-         Consider giving less immunosuppressive therapies (e.g. imatinib mesylate instead of bone marrow transplantation to patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, thalidomide or PS-341 instead of aggressive chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation to patients with multiple myeloma)

-         Search for residual foci of fusariosis with image methods (computerized scan, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography) and surgically remove these lesions

-         Consider giving G-CSF plus dexamethasone-elicited white blood cell transfusions throughout the period of neutropenia

-         Consider secondary antifungal prophylaxis