Onychomycosis caused by Fusarium proliferatum.

Abstract

Fusarium infections in humans are usually opportunistic, but the fungus sometimes infects healthy persons, causing keratomycosis or onychomycosis. Onychomycosis is usually caused by F. solani or F. oxysporum. We report the first two cases of onychomycosis caused by F. proliferatum, and discuss methods of diagnosis and effective treatment. Nail samples from the two patients were examined by direct microscopy, cultured, and identified morphologically and genetically as F. proliferatum. Both patients were treated successfully with oral itraconazole, even though the minimum inhibitory concentration of itraconazole was relatively high in Patient 1. This is the first report of F. proliferatum as an agent of onychomycosis. Itraconazole may be effective in the treatment of onychomycosis caused by F. proliferatum.

• Authors: N Hattori, A Shirai, Y Sugiura, W Li, K Yokoyama, Y Misawa, K Okuzumi, K Tamaki
• Journal: The British journal of dermatology (Br J Dermatol) Vol. 153 Issue 3 Pg. 647-9 (Sep 2005) ISSN: 0007-0963 [Print] England
• PMID: 16120158 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Itraconazole

Topics

• Antifungal Agents (therapeutic use)
• Foot Dermatoses (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Fusarium (genetics)
• Genes, Fungal
• Hand Dermatoses (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Humans
• Itraconazole (therapeutic use)
• Japan
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Onychomycosis (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Pulse Therapy, Drug
• Sequence Analysis, DNA