A Case of Subcutaneous Phaeohyphomycosis Caused by Exophiala Jeanselmei

Suh, Moo Kyu; Suh, Jin Chun; Seo, Seon Kyo; Na, Gun Yeon; Kim, Yeon Jin; Bang, Jang Seok; Ha, Gyoung Yim; Kim, Jeong Aee; Lee, Hun Jun

Abstract

We report a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala(E,) jeanselmei in a 66-year-old female, who showed a mild tender, 4.5x3.5cm sized, erythematous cystic mass with satellite lesions on the left forearm for 4 months. Histopathologically, suppurative granulomatous inflammation, brownish conidia in a chain and hyphae were observed. Fungal culture grew out the typical black-gray velvety colonies of E. jeanselmei after 2 weeks. The isolate grow well at 25 C, but very poorly at 37 C. No growth could be observed at 40 C. Sporulation adequate for evaluation was present on the malt extract agar. We confirmed E. jeanselmei by colony and microscopic morphology, temperature tolerance and sugar assimilation tests. The patient had been treated with itraconazole for 6 momths. Complete remission was observed.