ABSTRACT
@# Introduction: Subcutaneous zygomycosis or basidiobolomycosis is caused by a saprophytic fungi Basidiobolus ranarum (B. ranarum). It presents clinically as a slowly growing painless subcutaneous nodule more commonly on the extremity, trunk and rarely on other parts of the body. Mode of infection has not been established but most likely follows traumatic implantation. We report a gradually evolving case of basidiobolomycosis in a 12-year-old immunocompetent Filipino male with no history of trauma who responded dramatically to itraconazole. Case summary: Subcutaneous zygomycosis is caused by Basidiobolus ranarum (B. ranarum) which is endemic in parts of Africa, India and other parts of Asia. We report an evolving case of a Filipino male child who presented with chronic and persistent subcutaneous nodules and plaques on the left extremity. Dense cell infiltrates consisting of lymphocytes, histiocytes and eosinophils were seen on histology with non-septated hyphal structures on Gomori’s methenamine silver stain. Fungal culture of the lesion yielded B. ranarum. Complete resolution of the lesions were observed after 6 months of itraconazole therapy alone. Conclusion: This case demonstrated the gradual progression of the disease, and that the lack of a history of trauma does not exclude its diagnosis. Subcutaneous zygomycosis should be highly suspected in chronic painless subcutaneous nodules with swelling, and its early recognition is crucial to prevent progression of the disease. In patients whom an infectious cause is suspected, appropriate cultures, special staining, and sometimes repeat biopsies of new cutaneous lesions may be helpful in determining or ruling out the associated disease. Furthermore, performing PAS stain alone to identify the presence or absence of a fungi is insufficient, rather, additional staining such as GMS should be done to heighten detection of fungal elements.
Subject(s)
Child , Dermatology , Itraconazole , ZygomycosisABSTRACT
Abstract Basidiobolomycosis is an unusual fungal skin infection that rarely involves the gastrointestinal tract. This study reported a 5-year-old boy with gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis that had been misdiagnosed as gastrointestinal lymphoma. He was treated by surgical resection and a combination of posaconazole and amphotericin B deoxycholate with an acceptable response and no recurrence.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Child, Preschool , Colonic Diseases/microbiology , Zygomycosis/pathology , Zygomycosis/drug therapy , Zygomycosis/diagnostic imaging , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Liver Diseases/microbiology , Lymphoma/diagnosis , Triazoles/therapeutic use , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Amphotericin B/therapeutic use , Treatment Outcome , Colonic Diseases/pathology , Colonic Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Deoxycholic Acid/therapeutic use , Diagnosis, Differential , Drug Combinations , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/pathology , Liver Diseases/pathology , Liver Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Lymphoma/pathology , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Entomophthoromycosis is chronic granulomatous fungal infection with varied presentation as subcutaneous,mucocutaneous and visceral infections. The majority of the subcutaneous infection caused by entomophthoralean fungi involves Basidiobolus spp, C. coronatus, or C. incongruous. A case of rhinoentomophthoromycosis in an immunocompetent male involving maxillary sinus and nose is presented. The patient was clinically diagnosed as malignancy of nose but microscopy and histopathology of the aspirate clinched the diagnosis. The patient responded to antifungal therepy.
ABSTRACT
A patient with basidiobolomycosis is reported,the clinical course described,the ultra- structural and histologic changes observed,and mycologic examination was made.The results indicated that:(1)In the course of using corticosteroids,because the inflammatory reaction was suppressed par- tially,the clinical manifestation was relatively relieved.In the loci the pathogenic fungi still grew well, and focal dissemination was observed;(2) In the course of using itraconazole,the drug exerted fungistatic and fungicidal action through the destruction of cell membranes of fungi.Meanwhile,itra- conazole also exerted a synergistic action with the defense function of the human body,resulting in an enhanced therapeutic effects.The strong acute inflammatory reaction was triggered by the destroyed fungi caused by itraconazole.Then the fungi were cleared,the lesions were absorbed and repaired.Sur- gical intervention may be helpful to remove abscesses and fibrous nodules formed in the clinical course, so as to shorten the course of treatment.