A novel diagnostic method for a rare fungus: FcMBL facilitates Wickerhamomyces anomalus identification in an immunocompromised neonate

Abstract

Fungemia negatively impacts patient outcomes, current diagnostics lack sensitivity to identify emerging rare mycoses, and fungal infections are increasing in prevalence, variety, and resistance. We report a case of Wickerhamomyces anomalus in an immunocompromised neonate in which FcMBL bead-based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) resulted in species identification roughly 30 hours before standard pathogen identification methods. Deploying FcMBL bead-based MALDI-TOF MS may improve the speed and accuracy of identification, and therefore treatment, of rare pathogens.