Korean J Pathol.
2013 Dec;47(6):575-578.
Human Cutaneous Protothecosis: Report of a Case and Literature Review
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Pathology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
- 2Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea.
- 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea.
- 4Department of Pathology, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea. jssong@kd.ac.kr
Abstract
- The Prototheca species is achlorophyllic algae and rarely causes human infection. Human protothecosis presents clinically as a cutaneous infection, olecranon bursitis, and disseminated systemic disease. We report a case of human cutaneous protothecosis involving the left wrist. A 68-year-old man presented with an ill-defined erythematous lesion with crust at the dorsal aspect of his left wrist. A punch biopsy was performed to reveal the histologic features of granulomatous inflammation with necrosis at the upper dermis, containing Prototheca organisms, of which, the characteristic features were highlighted by special staining. Through a molecular study, the Prototheca zopfii species was identified.
