Long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser combined with terbinafine against chromoblastomycosis caused by and the effect of laser therapy in a Wistar rat model / 南方医科大学学报

We report a case of chromoblastomycosis caused by , which was successfully treated by long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser combined with terbinafine. A 60-year-old man was admitted for the presence of a 30 mm×40 mm erythematous plaque on the dorsum of his right hand for about 10 months without any subjective symptoms. Both microscopic examination and tissue biopsy of the lesion showed characteristic sclerotic bodies of chromoblastomycosis. Lesion tissue culture on SDA at 26 ℃ for 2 weeks resulted in a black colony, and slide culture identified the isolate as Fonsecaea species. ITS sequence analysis of the isolate showed a 99% homology with strain KX078407. The susceptibility of the isolate to 9 antifungal agents was determined using the microdilution method according to the guidelines of CLSI M38-A2 protocol, and terbinafine showed the lowest MIC (0.125 μg/ml). We subsequently established a Wistar rat model of chromoblastomycosis using the clinical isolate and treated the rats with long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser (pulse width of 3.0 ms, fluence of 24 J/cm, spot size of 3 mm, frequency of 4 Hz, repeated 3 times at an interval of 30 s) twice a week for a total of 8 sessions. Although the laser treatment alone was not able to eliminate the fungi, histopathological examination showed the aggregation of numerous lymphocytes in the local affected tissue, indicating an immune response that consequently facilitate the regression of the lesion. The patient was successfully treated by long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser once a week combined with terbinafine (0.25 /bid) for 8 weeks, and follow-up for 20 months did not reveal any signs of recurrence.

Cutaneous and subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei after renal transplantation: a case report / 南方医科大学学报

We report a case of cutaneous and subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei after renal transplantation in Guangdong. A 66-year-old man who had a renal transplantation 6 years ago was admitted in October 2011 for the presence of 16 nodules (0.5-1.5 cm) found on his right middle finger, wrist and forearm for 5 months. Microscopic examination of the purulent exudate showed segmented and branched brown mycelium, and tissue biopsy and PAS staining showed fungal hyphae. The isolate was processed for morphological identification and molecular sequence analysis. A black colony was found after culture of the isolate on SDA at 26 degrees Celsius;, and small culture identified the isolate as Exophiala jeanselmei. ITS sequence analysis of the isolate showed a 100% homology with Exophiala jeanselmei. E-test strip was used in drug sensitivity test, and the isolate was sensitive to amphotericin B, voriconazole, itraconazole and fluconazole, but resistant to 5-flucytosine and caspofungin. Good response was obtained with surgical intervention, local injection and systemic antifungal treatment.