Korean J Med Mycol.  1998 Dec;3(2):185-189.

Cutaneous Abscess Caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus in a Renal Transplant Patient

• Shin SB
• Lee HN
• Kim SW
• Park GS
• Cho BK
• Kim HJ

Abstract

Paecilomyces lilacinus is an ubiquitous saprophytic fungus and very rarely pathogenic to the human. Although it has been reported to cause endophthalmitis, orbital cellulitis, prosthetic valve endocarditis, and pulmonary infection, cutaneous infection caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus has been rarely reported. A 46-year-old Korean man had asymptomatic slowly growing multiple cutaneous nodules on the left arm and wrist for 8 months. He received a renal transplantation in 1991 because of end-stage renal disease. Postoperatively, he has taken cyclosporin and deflazacort for immunosuppression. Physical examination revealed that the lesions were discrete or confluent, firm, elevated, well-defined fluctuating nodules. Histologic section showed multiple well-encapsulated intradermal abscesses with some foci of chronic granulomatous changes composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes and giant cells. PAS positive fungal hyphae and spores were also found. On the Sabouraud's dextrose agar media, the organism grew rapidly to form velvety lilac-colored colonies with shallow radiating furrows. Slide culture showed brush-like conidiophores ending in flask-shaped phialides carrying chain of conidia. Because of the poor response to the oral antifungal drug for 2 months, all the lesions were completely excised.

Keyword

Paecilomyces lilacinus; Cutaneous abscess; Renal transplant

MeSH Terms

Abscess*
Agar
Arm
Cyclosporine
Endocarditis
Endophthalmitis
Fungi
Giant Cells
Glucose
Histiocytes
Humans
Hyphae
Immunosuppression
Kidney Failure, Chronic
Kidney Transplantation
Lymphocytes
Middle Aged
Orbital Cellulitis
Paecilomyces*
Physical Examination
Spores
Spores, Fungal
Wrist
Agar
Cyclosporine
Glucose