title: Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria infectoria presenting as multiple vegetating lesions in a renal transplant patient.
abstract: The genus Alternaria is one of the most common black moulds and appears to be increasing as a causative agent of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis, particularly among immunosuppressed patients. A 53-year-old patient who had received a kidney transplant presented with multiple verrucous lesions on the distal extremities. Positive histopathology and cultures, in addition to rDNA ITS region sequencing, identified the fungal isolate as Alternaria infectoria. Oral itraconazole was administered for 10 months. A follow-up at 15 months demonstrated no signs of infection. Clinical manifestations of cutaneous alternariosis vary significantly and only a few cases have been described in the literature. Although optimal treatment options remain controversial, this case of phaeohyphomycosis was successfully treated with itraconazole monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Hospital de Curry Cabral, Lisbon, Portugal. danielaccunha@gmail.com
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amaro
authors.forename: María Raquel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: María da Luz
authors.initials: Mda L
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maduro
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inácio
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.forename: Gabriela Marques
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D060487:Alternariosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060446:Phaeohyphomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology