Ann Clin Microbiol.  2013 Jun;16(2):105-109. 10.5145/ACM.2013.16.2.105.

A Case of Misidentification of Aspergillus versicolor Complex as Scopulariopsis Species Isolated from a Homograft

• Huh HJ
• Lee JH
• Park KS
• Jun TG
• Kang IS
• Kim YJ
• Ki CS
• Lee NY

• KMID: 1431773
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2013.16.2.105

Abstract

We report a case of the isolation of the Aspergillus versicolor complex, initially misidentified by morphological characteristics as the Scopulariopsis species, from a homograft with a bicuspidalized pulmonary valve. An eighteen-month-old female, who had critical pulmonary stenosis, underwent pulmonary valve replacement. On postoperative day 8, she developed a fever, which did not respond to empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics. While no definitive source was identified, a filamentous fungus was isolated from the thawed homograft tissue culture prior to implantation on the operation day. The colonies were powdery green with white edges on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Microscopic examination showed septate hyphae with branched conidiophores and chains of spiny conidia, which suggested Scopulariopsis species. After direct sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the fungus was identified as the A. versicolor complex. To our knowledge, the isolation of the A. versicolor complex from a homograft valve has not been previously described. This case shows that laboratory staff should be aware that microscopic morphology of the A. versicolor complex can resemble that of a number of other genera, including Scopulariopsis species.

Keyword

Aspergillus versicolor complex; Homograft; Scopulariopsis

MeSH Terms

Agar
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Aspergillus
Bicuspid
European Continental Ancestry Group
Female
Fever
Fungi
Glucose
Humans
Hyphae
Pulmonary Valve
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Scopulariopsis
Spores, Fungal
Transplantation, Homologous
Agar
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Glucose

Figure

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  Fig. 1. A. versicolor colonies on a SDA plate. (A) The grayish green surface with white edges (B) Reverse of colony.

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  Fig. 2. Microscopic morphology of A. versicolor isolated from this case resembling Scopulariopsis spp. (lactophenol cotton blue stain, ×400 and ×1,000, respectively).

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