Gangrenous necrosis of the diabetic foot caused by Fusarium acutatum.
Foot infections are common and serious complications of diabetic patients. We report the case of a 68-year-old patient with a diabetic foot infection that developed into a gangrenous necrosis. Fusarium spp. was isolated on two successive occasions with no other associated microorganisms. Histopathology demonstrated invasion of the fungus into the tisssue. These findings suggested an infection rather than colonization. A detailed morphological study showed that the isolate was Fusarium acutatum, which was confirmed by rDNA sequencing. This fungus is found only in Asia and has not been previously reported as a human pathogen.
Taj-Aldeen
Saad J
SJ
Microbiology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. stajaldeen@hmc.org.qa
Gene
Josepa
J
Al Bozom
Issam
I
Buzina
Walter
W
Cano
José Francisco
JF
Guarro
Josep
J
D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005734:Gangrene; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal