Isotopic response of fungal granuloma following facial herpes zoster infections - report of three cases.
BACKGROUND
An isotopic response is the occurrence of a new skin disease at the site of another unrelated, healed skin disorder.


METHODS
We report three cases of unilateral granulomatous fungal infection in immunocompetent patients at sites of resolved herpes zoster on the face. Diagnoses were made by potassium hydroxide preparation, histopathologic findings, and fungal culture. Two patients had Candida albicans folliculitis, and the other was infected with both Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.


RESULTS
The patients responded well to antifungal therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Localized isotopic fungal infections, although rare, can occur in immunocompetent patients.
Huang
Ching-Wen
CW
Department of Dermatology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tu
Mei-Eng
ME
Wu
Yu-Hung
YH
Lin
Yang-Chih
YC
D000368:Aged; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002179:Candidiasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004821:Epidermophyton / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000382:microbiology*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014005:Tinea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000302:isolation & purification