Infectious Disease Compendium

Saccharomyces

Microbiology

Yeast. Saccharomyces boulardii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (PubMed) and many others.

Epidemiologic Risks

Saccharomyces boulardii found in probiotics.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used to make beer and bread.

In nature found on ripe fruits and are spread by wasps.

Syndromes

Occasional fungemias in immunocompromised patients.

A smattering of cases of Saccharomyces boulardii due to probiotics given for severe colitis.

Treatment

Azoles or amphotericin. Voriconazole has the best mic's.

Notes

I had an AIDS patient who was a brewer who had Saccharomyces cerevisiae in his blood. You could say I knew what aled him.

The beer yeast is a hybrid of the domesticated baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces eubayanus, which allows it to be cold tolerant and metabolize all the carbs in wort (PubMed).

Curious Cases

Relevant links to my Medscape blog

An Evening Drink

Baking and Brewing

Last Update: 03/05/19.