The present study aimed to 1) determine the colonization rates of medically important Trichosporon species on normal perigenital skin and 2) determine the isolation rates of Trichosporon spp. isolated from the urine and catheters of Brazilian patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The overall colonization rate of Trichosporon spp. was 11.15% (112 isolates). The most common species isolated from normal perigenital skin was T. cutaneum (29.46%), followed by T. asteroides (20.53%), T. ovoides (15.17%), T. inkin (10.71%), T. mucoides (8.92%), and T. asahii (6.25%). From urine and catheters, T.asahii was the species most commonly isolated (76.5%; n =23), followed by T. inkin (16.6%; n = 5) and T. asteroides (6.6%; n = 2). In addition, the highest isolation rate occurred in subjects in the 71-to 80-yearold age range (36.7%; n= 11), followed by 61 to 70 (26.7%; n = 8), 51 to 60 (13.3%; n = 4), 31 to 40 (13.33%; n = 4), and 41 to 50 (10%; n =3). We concluded that 6 medically important species of the genus Trichosporon colonize the perigenital region in a normal population. The identification of these species is possible by means of classical methods but often requires repeated analyses repetitions due to difficulties in the assimilation process. In contrast, only 3 species of Trichosporon were isolated from urine and catheters.

We describe a rare case of a subcutaneous infection by both Phaeoacremonium venezuelense and Plectophomella sp. in a Brazilian male. Sequencing of a ␤-tubulin gene fragment allowed us to confirm the identification of the former. However, a similar procedure of sequencing rRNA gene fragments was not useful for the identification of the latter fungus. CASE REPORTA 28-year-old Brazilian male was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2001. He underwent a bone marrow transplant in July 2002, but after 1 month he developed a graft-versus-host disease that compromised the skin and liver. After that, he started taking cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. In 2004, he presented with several soft, erythematous nodules arranged in a linear distribution on the right arm (Fig. 1A) and two nodules forming a plaque lesion with fibrous consistency on the left knee ( Fig. 2A). Three serial biopsies of both lesions were taken on different days for histopathological and microbiological study. The direct examination on KOH did not reveal any type of fungal structure. Grocott and periodic acid Schiff stains revealed the presence of dematiaceous hyphae in the two types of lesions (Fig. 1B and 2B, respectively). Cultures on routine media for bacteria and fungi showed the presence of a single fungus in the samples from the leg and another, different fungus in the samples from the arm. Infections were diagnosed as subcutaneous mycoses, and the fungi were sent to the Medical School at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili for identification. The lesions were surgically removed. Since the patient showed hepatic and renal dysfunctions and general deterioration, antifungal treatment was not initiated. The patient subsequently moved to another city and was lost to follow-up.The two isolates were cultured on routine media for fungi. On the basis of its morphological features (i.e., darkly pigmented colonies and phialidic conidiogenous cells with conspicuous collarettes), the fungus isolated from the arm lesions was identified as a Phaeoacremonium sp. strain CBS 120024.On malt extract agar (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.), its colonies were camel to sunburn color, attained a diameter of 47 to 50 mm in 2 weeks at 25°C, and were able to grow at 40°C. Microscopically, it showed short and usually unbranched conidiophores, bearing an elongate ampulliform attenuated at the base or subcylindrical conidiogenous cells, often 9 to 17 m long by 1 to 2.5 m wide, from which fusiform-ellipsoidal hyaline conidia that were 3 to 6 m long by 1 to 1.5 m wide were produced (Fig. 1C). Conidiogenous cells with two apertures (polyphialides) were also present. Hyphae from aerial mycelium were verruculose, with warts not exceeding 2 m wide. Following the morphological criteria given by Mostert et al. (7) to recognize Phaeoacremonium species, we were not able to identify our isolate at the species level, so we used the molecular method proposed by the same authors. A fragment of the ␤-tubulin (tub2) gene defined by primers BT2-F and BT2-R (2) was amp...

BackgroundDiseases caused by melanized fungi include mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycosis. This broad clinical spectrum depends on the dynamic interactions between etiologic agent and host. The immune status of the host influences on the development of the disease, as, an exemple. phaeohyphomicosis is more frequently observed in immunocompromised patients.ObjectivesExamine the histological inflammatory response induced by Fonsecaea pedrosoi in several different strains of mice (BALB/c, C57BL/6, Nude and SCID, and reconstituted Nude).MethodsFonsecaea pedrosoi was cultivated on agar gel and a fragment of this gel was implanted subcutaneously in the abdominal region of female adult mice. After infection has been obtained, tissue fragment was studied histopathologically.ResultsThere were significant changes across the strains, with the nodular lesion more persistent in Nude and SCID mice, whereas in immunocompetent mice the lesion progressed to ulceration and healing. The histopathological analysis showed a significant acute inflammatory reaction which consisted mainly of neutrophils in the initial phase that was subsequently followed by a tuberculoid type granuloma in immunocompetent mice.Study limitationsThere is no a suitable animal model for chromoblastomycosis.ConclusionsThe neutrophilic infiltration had an important role in the containment of infection to prevent fungal spreading, including in immunodeficient mice. The fungal elimination was dependent on T lymphocytes. The re-exposure of C57BL/6 mice to Fonsecaea pedrosoi caused a delay in resolving the infection, and appearance of muriform cells, which may indicate that re-exposure to fungi, might lead to chronicity of infection.