Les plantes : alliées ou ennemies pour l'immunodéprimé ?

Nutritional supplements are based on plants and are regularly absorbed, even by children. We questioned the fungal risk of these products in 12 immunosuppressed patients who were taking or wished to take such products. Each preparation was submitted to mycological analysis. Eleven products (11/42) were revealed positive for Aspergillus sp. Most of them had been purchased from a pharmacy (35/42). An infant presented with an acute Aspergillus peritonitis. Fungal contamination exists in plant-based preparations and represents a real risk in immunosuppressed patients; this merits enquiry and family-oriented information.