Malassezia pachydermatis fungemia in a preterm neonate resistant to fluconazole and flucytosine.

A case of Malassezia pachydermatis fungemia in a preterm neonate is described. The isolate was identified by rDNA sequencing and was resistant to fluconazole and flucytosine. Since M. pachydermatis does not require lipid supplementation for growth, it can be misidentified as a Candida species. The report highlights M. pachydermatis as a cause of late onset sepsis in preterm neonates and emphasizes the need for prior antifungal susceptibility testing.