ABSTRACT
Objective To report a case of cutaneous infection due to Trichosporon dermatis. Methods Lesional discharge and tissue were obtained and subjected to microscopic examination, fungal culture and histopathology, respectively. The fungal isolate was then identified with DNA sequence analysis, API 20C AUX system, gelatin liquefaction test, thermal tolerance test. Antifungal susceptibility test was also performed for the fungus. Results A 70-year-old male presented with a 9-month history of ulcerated swelling of the right medial malleolus after plant puncture. Direct microscopic examination of lesional discharge showed no fungal elements, but histopathological biopsy revealed hyphae and spores in the dermis. Yellowish white yeast-like colony grew on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Slide culture showed pseudohyphae, true hyphae, arthroconidia and blastoconidia. The isolate was identified as Candida humicola by API 20C AUX system, but as T. dermatis by DNA sequence analysis. The strain was unable to liquefy gelatin, could grow at 25 ℃ to 40 ℃, and was sensitive to amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole and nystatin. The skin lesion completely subsided after 4-month treatment with oral itraconazole. Conclusions The isolate is identified as T. dermatis according to morphological features and DNA sequence, which is sensitive to itraconazole.
ABSTRACT
A 53-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital on March 26, 2006. Ten years prior to the presentation, a small furuncle developed on the dorsum of his right hand, and subsided after 2-week treatment with erythromycin ointment; one month later, a broadbean-sized cutaneous ulcer developed on the dorsum of the same hand. After anti-infective treatment, the ulcer healed while the lesional skin thickened, and long-term topical treatment with compound dexamethasone acetate cream showed no obvious effect Dermatological examination revealed an irregular verrucous plaque measuring 2.5 cm × 4 cm with little exudation on the dorsum of the right hand. KOH preparation of the skin lesion revealed brown spores. Sabouraud's dextrose agar culture grew restricted, velvety and dark green colony, and microscopy revealed branched, globular conidiophores generated by cladospores. DNA sequencing showed that the isolate was different from Cladosporium sphaerospermum (AB100654) by 2 bases in the sequence of D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA, from Cladosporium sphaerospermum (AY625063) by 5 bases in the sequence of internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 (ITS 1 and ITS 2), but fully consistent with Cladosporium sphaerospermum (AM 176719) in the sequence of ITS region. The isolate was identified as Cladosporium sphaerospermum. Hematoxylin-eosin stain of the lesional tissue revealed granulomatous changes,and PAS stain demonstrated brown spores. A diagnosis of phaeohyphomycosis was made. Antifungal susceptibility testing indicated that the isolate was highly sensitive to itraconazole. The lesion obviously subsided after treatment with oral itraconazole 0.2 g once daily for 8 weeks, but the patient was lost to follow up 2 months later.
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Objective To investigate expression of CD34 and platelet derived growth factor receptor ? (PDGFR-?) and pattern of DNA ploidy in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), and to study their significance and relationship. Methods The expression of CD34 and PDGFR-? was detected by immunohistochemical SP method in paraffin-embedded specimens from 39 DFSPs and 30 dermatofibromas (DFs). The findings were quantitatively analyzed by image system. The pattern of DNA ploidy was detected by flow cytometry. Results The expression of CD34 and PDGFR-? in the DFSPs was higher than that in the DFs (P
ABSTRACT
Objective To observe expression of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and its relation to clinicopathological characteristics in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell epithelioma (BCE). Methods The expression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 was determined in situ hybridization and ABC immunohistochemical technique respectively in 48 cutaneous SCCs and 41 BCEs. Results The expression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 in SCC was significantly higher than that in BCE (P 0.05). Conclusions Overexpression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 might be related to lymphatic metastasis in SCC. Expression levels of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 may not be responsible for the differentiation in aggressiveness of BCE.