No abstract available.
Exophiala* ; Phaeohyphomycosis*

Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis (CP) is a very rare but serious form of central nervous system fungal infection that is caused by dematiaceous fungi. It is commonly associated with poor prognosis irrespective of the immune status of the patient. In this study, the authors describe the first case of CP in Korea that occurred in a 75-year-old man without immunodeficiency and showed favorable outcome after surgical excision and antifungal therapy. In addition, the authors herein review the literature regarding characteristics of this rare clinical entity with previously reported cases.
Aged ; Brain Abscess* ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis* ; Fungi ; Humans ; Korea ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Exophiala* ; Korea* ; Phaeohyphomycosis* ; Wrist*

Summary Phaeohyphomycosis refers to a heterogenous group of mycotic infections caused by dematiaceous fungi where unintentional traumatic inoculation accounts for majority of the cases. Herein, we are reporting a rare case of iatrogenic subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis which is secondary to intravenous cannula placement.
Phaeohyphomycosis ; Iatrogenic Disease

Corynespora cassiicola is a common plant pathogen responsible for leaf-spotting diseases in the tropical and subtropical areas. C. cassiicola seldom causes human infections. Here we describe a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by C. cassiicola in a 76-year-old Chinese man, who presented to our hospital with a purulent discharge and painful sensation on his right leg. Skin biopsy revealed an abscess, and culture confirmed C. cassiicola to be the causative agent. The result was further identified by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region. The patient was successfully treated with systemic voriconazole and wound debridement: the lesion disappeared after 20 days.
Male ; Humans ; Aged ; Phaeohyphomycosis/drug therapy* ; Ascomycota

A case of cutaneous lesions on the left lower leg caused by Curvularia species in an 80-year-old immunocompetent woman is described in this report. The etiological agent was identified as Curvularia species based on its colonial and microscopic morphology in pure tissue culture. The lesions healed after a 9-week regimen of oral itraconazole and topical lanoconazole.
Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Leg ; Phaeohyphomycosis*

Phaeohyphomycosis is a subcutaneous and systemic infection caused by dark-walled hyphae and differs from chromoblastomycosis in that it has no sclerotic cells. It commonly occurs in a immunosuppressed host. Exophiala dermatitidis, common pathogen of phaeohyphomycosis, has been commonly reported in Japan, but very rare in Korea. This report describes a case of phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala dermatitidis successfully treated with itraconazole.
Chromoblastomycosis ; Exophiala* ; Hyphae ; Immunocompromised Host ; Itraconazole* ; Japan ; Korea ; Phaeohyphomycosis*

We report a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala(E,) jeanselmei in a 66-year-old female, who showed a mild tender, 4.5x3.5cm sized, erythematous cystic mass with satellite lesions on the left forearm for 4 months. Histopathologically, suppurative granulomatous inflammation, brownish conidia in a chain and hyphae were observed. Fungal culture grew out the typical black-gray velvety colonies of E. jeanselmei after 2 weeks. The isolate grow well at 25 C, but very poorly at 37 C. No growth could be observed at 40 C. Sporulation adequate for evaluation was present on the malt extract agar. We confirmed E. jeanselmei by colony and microscopic morphology, temperature tolerance and sugar assimilation tests. The patient had been treated with itraconazole for 6 momths. Complete remission was observed.
Agar ; Aged ; Exophiala* ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Inflammation ; Itraconazole ; Phaeohyphomycosis* ; Spores, Fungal

BACKGROUND: There are three kinds of diseases caused by dematiaceous fungi: chromoblastomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis, and eumycotic mycetoma. The dematiaceous fungi have been identified and classified by morphological, biochemical and physiological tests. Recently molecular analysis has been introduced to the field of medical mycology. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the genetic diversity of dematiaceous fungi using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). METHODS: The dematiaceous fungal strains studied were eight clinical isolates of chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycosis agents (3 strains of Fonsecaea pedrosoi, 2 strains of Exophiala dermatitidis, 1 strain of Exophiala jeanselmei, 1 strain of Phialophora verrucosa, 1 strain of Rhinocladiella aquaspersa) and 4 standard strains (F. pedrosoi IFM 4889, E. dermatitidis IFM 4828, P. verrucosa IFM 4928, R. aquaspersa IFM 4930). Total twelve strains of dematiaceous fungi were cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose broth and their DNA were extracted by bead-beating method. RESULTS: The optimal condition for PCR was template DNA 0.025 mg and annealing temperature 39 degrees C. The RAPD analysis using OPA 10 primer (5'-GTGATCGCAG-3') of Operon kit showed different patterns among dematiaceous fungi. But one clinical isolate of F. pedrosoi showed intra-specific variability. CONCLUSION: The RAPD analysis is considered a rapid and reliable method for identification and classification of dematiaceous fungi if the procedure is carefully standardized with adequate primer.
Chromoblastomycosis ; Classification ; DNA* ; Exophiala ; Fungi* ; Genetic Variation* ; Glucose ; Mycetoma ; Mycology ; Operon ; Phaeohyphomycosis ; Phialophora ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

We report a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala (E.) jeanselmei in a 75-year-old female, who showed subcutaneous abscesses on the both forearms for 8 months. Histopathologically, suppurative granulomatous inflammation and short hyphae & spores were observed. Fungal culture grew out the typical black-gray velvety colonies of E. jeanselmei after 3 weeks. The isolate grew well at 25degrees C, but very poorly at 37degrees C. No growth could be observed at 40degrees C. We confirmed E. jeanselmei by colony & microscopic morphology and temperature tolerance test. The patient had been treated with fluconazole for 3 months.
Abscess ; Aged ; Exophiala* ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Forearm ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Inflammation ; Phaeohyphomycosis* ; Spores