Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Deep Cutaneous Neoscytalidium dimidiatum Infection: Successful Outcome with Amphotericin B Therapy

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Mycopathologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Phaeohyphomycosis is a term used to describe a heterogenous group of cutaneous and systemic mycotic infections caused by melanized fungi. Many fungi have been reported as pathogens of this disease. The disease spectrum ranges from superficial cutaneous infections, deep cutaneous infections, to systemic infections with internal organ involvement. We report two cases of deep cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis on the foot clinically presenting as cellulitis with abscess formation. The pathogens were isolated from the lesion and both were identified as Neoscytalidium dimidiatum by their colony morphology, microscopic features, and sequences of internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal DNA. Both patients did not respond to the therapy with voriconazole and itraconazole, but improved after intravenous amphotericin B.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mohd MH, Salleh B, Zakaria L. Identification and molecular characterizations of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum causing stem canker of red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) in Malaysia. J Phytopathol. 2013;161(11–12):841–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Machouart M, Menir P, Helenon R, Quist D, Desbois N. Scytalidium and scytalidiosis: What’s new in 2012? J Mycol Med. 2013;23(1):40–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Oyeka C, Gugnani H. Keratin degradation by Scytalidium species and Fusarium solani. Mycoses. 1998;41(1–2):73–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Verrier J, Monod M. Diagnosis of dermatophytosis using molecular biology. Mycopathologia. 2017;182(1–2):193–202.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Crous PW, Slippers B, Wingfield MJ, Rheeder J, Marasas WF, Philips AJ, et al. Phylogenetic lineages in the Botryosphaeriaceae. Stud Mycol. 2006;55:235–53.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Madrid H, Ruíz-Cendoya M, Cano J, Stchigel A, Orofino R, Guarro J. Genotyping and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum isolates from different origins. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2009;34(4):351–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Zaatari GS, Reed R, Morewessel R. Subcutaneous hyphomycosis caused by Scytalidium hyalinum. Am J Clin Pathol. 1984;82(2):252–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Benne C, Neeleman C, Bruin M, De Hoog G, Fleer A. Disseminating infection with Scytalidium dimidiatum in a granulocytopenic child. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 1993;12(2):118–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Levi ME, Smith JW. Posttraumatic infection due to Scytalidium dimidiatum. Clin Infect Dis. 1994;18(1):127–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rockett MS, Gentile SC, Zygmunt KH, Gudas CJ. Subcutaneous phaeohypomycosis caused by Scytalidium dimidiatum in the foot of an immunosuppressed host. J Foot Ankle Surg. 1996;35(4):350–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Marriott D, Wong K, Aznar E, Harkness JL, Cooper DA, Muir D. Scytalidium dimidiatum and Lecythophora hoffmannii: unusual causes of fungal infections in a patient with AIDS. J Clin Microbiol. 1997;35(11):2949–52.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Sigler L, Summerbell RC, Poole L, Wieden M, Sutton DA, Rinaldi MG, et al. Invasive Nattrassia mangiferae infections: case report, literature review, and therapeutic and taxonomic appraisal. J Clin Microbiol. 1997;35(2):433–40.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dhindsa M, Naidu J, Singh S. A case of subcutaneous infection in a patient with discoid lupus erythematosus caused by a Scytalidium synanamorph of Nattrassia mangiferae, and its treatment. Med Mycol. 1998;36(6):425–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Aamir S, Aman S, Haroon T. Mycetoma caused by Scytalidium dimidiatum. Br J Dermatol. 2003;148(1):174–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Morris-Jones R, Youngchim S, Hextall J, Gomez B, Morris-Jones S, Hay R, et al. Scytalidium dimidiatum causing recalcitrant subcutaneous lesions produces melanin. J Clin Microbiol. 2004;42(8):3789–94.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Willinger B, Kopetzky G, Harm F, Apfalter P, Makristathis A, Berer A, et al. Disseminated infection with Nattrassia mangiferae in an immunosuppressed patient. J Clin Microbiol. 2004;42(1):478–80.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Sriaroon C, Vincent AL, Silapunt S, Chandler A, Houston SH, Greene JN. Successful treatment of subcutaneous Scytalidium hyalinum infection with voriconazole and topical terbinafine in a cardiac transplant patient. Transplantation. 2008;85(5):780–2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Padhi S, Uppin SG, Uppin MS, Umabala P, Challa S, Laxmi V, et al. Mycetoma in South India: retrospective analysis of 13 cases and description of two cases caused by unusual pathogens: Neoscytalidium dimidiatum and Aspergillus flavus. Int J Dermatol. 2010;49(11):1289–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Moutran R, Maatouk I, Wehbé J, Abadjian G, Obeid G. Subcutaneous infection spread by Scytalidium (Neoscytalidium) dimidiatum. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2012;139(3):204–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Garinet S, Tourret J, Barete S, Arzouk N, Meyer I, Frances C, et al. Invasive cutaneous Neoscytalidium infections in renal transplant recipients: a series of five cases. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15(1):535.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Lanternier F, Barbati E, Meinzer U, Liu L, Pedergnana V, Migaud M, et al. Inherited CARD9 deficiency in 2 unrelated patients with invasive Exophiala infection. J Infect Dis. 2015;211(8):1241–50.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Drummond RA, Franco LM, Lionakis MS. Human CARD9: a critical molecule of fungal immune surveillance. Front Immunol. 2018;9:1836.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Chuang M, Ni H, Yang H, Shu S, Lai S, Jiang Y. First report of stem canker disease of Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus and H. polyrhizus) Caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum in Taiwan. Plant Dis. 2012;96(6):906.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Lai SY-H. Superficial scute infection caused by Scytalidium sp. in the carapace of Aldabra Giant Tortoises (Geochelone gigantea). Taipei Zoo Bull. 2012;23:91–6.

    Google Scholar 

  25. James JE, Santhanam J, Lee MC, Wong CX, Sabaratnam P, Yusoff H, et al. In vitro antifungal susceptibility of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum clinical isolates from Malaysia. Mycopathologia. 2017;182(3–4):305–13. 

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Elinav H, Izhar U, Benenson S, Admon D, Hidalgo-Grass C, Polacheck I, et al. Invasive Scytalidium dimidiatum infection in an immunocompetent adult. J Clin Microbiol. 2009;47(4):1259–63.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Khan Z, Ahmad S, Joseph L, Chandy R. Cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis due to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum: first case report from Kuwait. J Mycol Med. 2009;19(2):138–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lacroix C, de Chauvin MF. In vitro activity of amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, caspofungin and terbinafine against Scytalidium dimidiatum and Scytalidium hyalinum clinical isolates. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2008;61(4):835–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pei-Lun Sun.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Vishnu Chaturvedi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yang, SJ., Ng, CY., Wu, TS. et al. Deep Cutaneous Neoscytalidium dimidiatum Infection: Successful Outcome with Amphotericin B Therapy. Mycopathologia 184, 169–176 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-018-0308-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-018-0308-z

Keywords

Navigation