title: Cutaneous basidiobolomycosis: Seven cases in southern Benin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous basidiobolomycosis is the most common form of entomophthoramycosis. Herein we report seven cases of cutaneous basidiobolomycosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective observational study was conducted at the Buruli ulcer treatment centre in Pobè and at the national teaching hospital in Cotonou from 2010 to 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven cases of cutaneous basidiobolomycosis were diagnosed. The mean patient age was 9.53 years. There were 4 female and 3 male patients, all from southeast Benin. Clinically, the disease presented in all cases as a hard, well-defined, subcutaneous plaque with little inflammation, and which could easily be lifted from the deep structures but remained attached to the surface structures. The overlying skin was hyperpigmented. Plaques were localized to the buttocks or thighs. All patients had inflammatory anaemia with an accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (30 to 70mm over the first hour), and a low haemoglobin count (8.7 to 11.4g/dL). Blood hypereosinophilia (650 to 3784elements/mm3) was present in six of the seven subjects. Histopathology (performed for 5 of the 7 subjects) showed granulomatous lesions with foreign-body giant cells, and inflammatory cells, with occasional eosinophils surrounding fungal hyphae (Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon). Mycological analysis revealed Basidiobolus ranarum in three cases. The patients were treated with ketoconazole (5/7) and itraconazole (2/7), with good outcomes after 10 to 24 weeks of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cutaneous basidiobolomycosis is uncommon in southern Benin, with only seven cases being diagnosed over 6 years. The diagnosis of cutaneous basidiobolomycosis is a challenge in the field in Benin due to the non-specific clinical presentation, the lack of technical resources, and the existence of numerous differential diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cutaneous basidiobolomycosis is an uncommon fungal infection in southern Benin chiefly affecting children.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, CNHU-HKM, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin. Electronic address: fatadokpede2009@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atadokpédé
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, CNHU-HKM, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gnossikè
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, CNHU-HKM, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adégbidi
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, CNHU-HKM, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dégboé
authors.affiliation: Parasitology-mycology department, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sissinto-Savi de Tovè
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, faculté de médecine de Parakou, bénin et centre de dépistage et de traitement de l'ulcère de buruli, Pobè, Benin.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adéyé
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, faculté de médecine de Parakou, bénin et centre de dépistage et de traitement de l'ulcère de buruli, Pobè, Benin.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koudoukpo
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, faculté de médecine de Parakou, bénin et centre de dépistage et de traitement de l'ulcère de buruli, Pobè, Benin.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauty
authors.affiliation: Parasitology-mycology department, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49100 Angers, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chabasse
authors.affiliation: Histopathology department, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49100 Angers, France.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Saint-André
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, hôpital Aristide-le-Dantec, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: M-T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Dieng
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, hôpital Nord, chemin des Bourrely, 13015 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: M-C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Koeppel
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, CNHU-HKM, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: H-G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Yedomon
authors.affiliation: Dermatology department, CNHU-HKM, faculté des sciences de la santé, BP 186, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: do-Ango-Padonou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020091:Entomophthorales / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007654:Ketoconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult; D020096:Zygomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D017964:Itraconazole; D007654:Ketoconazole
keywords: Basidiobolomycose cutanée; Basidiobolus ranarum; Benin; Bénin; Child; Cutaneous basidiobolomycosis; Enfants