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Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by Fonsecaea monophora
S Surash1, A Tyagi, G S De Hoog
1Department of Neurosurgery, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK.
Medical Mycology
|September 24, 2005
Summary
This study details a rare cerebral phaeohyphomycosis case caused by Fonsecaea monophora in an immunocompetent patient. High-dose itraconazole effectively treated the brain abscess, highlighting F. monophora's neurotropic potential.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis is a rare fungal infection of the brain.
- The Fonsecaea genus has undergone recent revision, with Fonsecaea monophora identified as a distinct species.
- Fonsecaea pedrosoi is a primary agent of chromoblastomycosis.
Observation:
- A 53-year-old immunocompetent diabetic male presented with a brain abscess.
- Computerized tomography confirmed the abscess, and F. monophora was isolated in pure culture.
- Initial treatment with voriconazole and 5-fluorocytosine was ineffective.
Findings:
- The patient improved significantly with high-dose itraconazole therapy.
- This is the fourth reported case of cerebral infection by F. monophora, and the first identified as such.
- Molecular analysis has distinguished F. monophora from F. pedrosoi.
Implications:
- Fonsecaea monophora exhibits a predominant neurotropic tendency in human hosts.
- The clinical presentation and treatment response of F. monophora infections may differ from F. pedrosoi.
- This case underscores the importance of accurate fungal species identification for effective treatment strategies.