Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala equina, with susceptibility to eight antifungal drugs

J Med Microbiol. 2013 May;62(Pt 5):797-800. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.057406-0. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

Abstract

A case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala equina is reported in a 75-year-old female, who showed subcutaneous abscesses on both forearms for 8 months. A lesion was initiated by inoculation with a spine from a tree. Histopathologically, suppurative granulomatous inflammation was present and short hyphal elements were observed. Upon culture greyish-black, velvety colonies of a black yeast were obtained after 3 weeks. The strain grew well at 25 °C, but poorly at 37 °C. After sequencing the internal transcribed spacer domain and the partial β-tubulin gene, the fungus was identified as E. equina. The patient was successfully treated with fluconazole for 3 months.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Fungal
  • Exophiala / drug effects*
  • Exophiala / isolation & purification*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyphae
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Phaeohyphomycosis / drug therapy
  • Phaeohyphomycosis / microbiology*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • DNA, Fungal
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer