[Chromomycosis by Rhinocladiella aquaspera: The first case in Venezuela.]

A case of chromomycosis induced by Rhinocladiella aquaspersa is decribed in Falcon State, which is considered as the first case in Venezuela, and the fifth one in the whole world of this species of Rhinocladiella. The case was observed in a five year-old child from the south part of Falcon State. The child presented wounds of two years of duration, in his upper left limb. These wounds were characterized by queloide cicatrices, and contiguous nodules, with a scalyo-scab surface. The disease was diagnosed through direct observation of cells extracted from the wounds and cleared with potassium hydroxide at 10%. The identification of R. aquaspersa was made by 1) The isolation in culture, using Lactritmel, Sabouraud-agar and Sablac as culture media; and 2) By observation, in slide culture, of dissemination structures characterized by erect conidiophores which were either simple or branched. The thermo-tolerance test applied indicate an optimum development temperature of 28 degrees C. It was not possible to reproduce the illness in Balb/c mice. The patient showed an unsatisfactory response to Itraconazol medication and improvement to an external local application therapy. Up to the present time, 370 cases of chromomycosis have been studied in Falcon State, with 21 cases in children. The suggests the existence of a susceptibility to this kind of mycosis from childhood.