Cutaneous protothecosis following a tape-stripping injury.
BACKGROUND
Prototheca species are ubiquitous achlorophyllic algae that can, in rare instances, manifest as cutaneous infection in humans at sites of traumatic inoculation into the skin.


OBJECTIVE
We report a 77-year-old man who developed cutaneous protothecosis at the site of an iatrogenic tape-stripping type injury. The diagnosis was confirmed by histologic examination and tissue culture. The patient responded completely to a 17-week course of oral fluconazole.


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous protothecosis can present clinically as nonspecific indolent inflammatory plaques that require skin biopsy for definitive diagnosis.
Humphrey
Shannon
S
Departments of Dermatology and Skin Science and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, CIHT Skin Research Training Centre, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Martinka
Magdalena
M
Lui
Harvey
H
D000368:Aged; D001458:Bandages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001706:Biopsy; D002610:Cheek / Q000293:injuries*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011525:Prototheca / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*