Fatal cerebral phaeohyphomycosis due to Curvularia lunata in an immunocompetent patient.
Curvularia infections in humans are relatively uncommon despite the ubiquitous presence of this soil-dwelling dematiaceous fungus in the environment. Originally thought to be solely a pathogen of plants, Curvularia has been described as a pathogen of humans and animals in the last half-century, causing respiratory tract, cutaneous, and corneal infections. Only three previous cases of central nervous system involvement by Curvularia have been documented in the medical literature. We report a fatal case of cerebral Curvularia infection in which there was no known history of immunocompromise or prior respiratory tract or sinus infection in the patient.
Carter
Elliot
E
Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobil, AL 36617, USA. ecarter@usouthal.edu
Boudreaux
Carole
C
D000328:Adult; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D020314:Central Nervous System Fungal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male