Cutaneous infection by Phaeoacremonium parasiticum

Abstract

Background: Phaeoacremonium parasiticum is considered a rare infectious agent that is part of a heterogeneous group of fungi causing phaeohyphomycosis. This organism is capable of producing subcutaneous infections, eumycetomas, osteomyelitis, arthritis, myositis and also disseminated diseases, such as fungemia and endocarditis.

Case report: We describe a case of cutaneous infection by P. parasiticum in a kidney transplant patient. The identification of this microorganism was performed by microbiological and histopathological studies and confirmed with the sequence of the gene encoding β-tubulin and a real time panfungal PCR targeting 18S ribosomal RNA gene. The microorganism was correctly identified by phenotypic and molecular methods. The patient was treated with oral antifungal therapy and a debulking surgery and evolved without any complication.

Conclusions: The diagnosis of this infection is difficult and usually affects kidney transplant patients, but the reasons of this association are still unknown.

Keywords: Cutaneous infection; Feohifomicosis; Infección cutánea; Kidney transplant; Phaeohyphomycosis; Trasplante renal.