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Cutaneous Exophiala oligosperma Infection in a Patient with Bullous Pemphigoid with a Review of the Literature

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Abstract

Phaeohyphomycosis is an infection caused by a heterogeneous group of melanized fungi. Human infections due to members of genus Exophiala are rare but may occur at any part of the body. We herein report a case of an 85-year-old male with a history of bullous pemphigoid who presented with a chronic, non-healing wound on his right dorsal hand for a month. Direct microscopy of a pus sample from the base of the ulcer revealed strands of pigmented, moniliform hyphae. The isolate was identified as E. oligosperma based on morphological characters and sequencing of the rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and partial beta-tubulin gene. The patient received a three-month course of oral itraconazole with no recurrence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linko, Taipei, Keelung, Taiwan

    Chau Yee Ng, Hua-En Li, Yung-Yi Lee, Chun-Bing Chen & Pei-Lun Sun

  2. College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Chau Yee Ng, Hua-En Li, Yung-Yi Lee, Chun-Bing Chen & Pei-Lun Sun

  3. Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Chau Yee Ng

  4. CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Sybren de Hoog

  5. Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, No. 5, Fushin Street, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Pei-Lun Sun

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  1. Chau Yee Ng
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  2. Sybren de Hoog
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Correspondence to Pei-Lun Sun.

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Ng, C.Y., de Hoog, S., Li, HE. et al. Cutaneous Exophiala oligosperma Infection in a Patient with Bullous Pemphigoid with a Review of the Literature. Mycopathologia 182, 539–547 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-016-0104-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-016-0104-6

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