title: Skin lesions associated with Fusarium infection.
abstract: Infections caused by Fusarium species are increasing in frequency among immunocompromised hosts. We identified 35 patients with cancer who had Fusarium skin lesions. Twenty patients had disseminated infection, 6 had primary localized skin infections, 4 had skin lesions associated with sinus infections, and 5 had onychomycosis. All patients (except 3 with onychomycosis) had hematologic malignancies and neutropenia. Skin lesions associated with disseminated infection included red or gray macules, papules (some with central necrosis or eschar), pustules, and subcutaneous nodules. Most patients had a variety of lesions simultaneously. Multiple red or gray macules with central ulceration or black eschar are characteristic of Fusarium infection. Disseminated infection may originate from skin lesions or onychomycosis. Most infections fail to respond to antifungal therapy unless there is resolution of the patient's neutropenia.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77040, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Bodey
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boktour
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mays
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duvic
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kontoyiannis
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hachem
authors.forename: Issam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Raad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003116:Color; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005670:Fusarium; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies