Isolation and Characterization of an Unknown Chrysosporium sp. Producing Subcutaneous Mycosis in an Immunocompromised Patient

Abstract

We report a case of subcutaneous fungal abscess over the great toe caused by a keratinophilic fungus, an unknown Chrysosporium sp., in a 60-year-old diabetic female who was treated successfully with oral fluconazole. The fungus was isolated from aspirated pus, and septate hyphae were seen in fine needle aspiration cytology. Ovoid- to club-shaped hyaline one-celled conidia (aleuriconidia) with broad truncated bases were seen, and sequencing of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA revealed belonging to the order Onygenales and most closely related to Chrysosporium spp. isolated from a fowl. Of the 65 species within the genus Chrysosporium, very few have been reported as pathogenic.