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An unusual infection, an unusual outcome--Fonsecaea pedrosoi cerebral granuloma

Venkatesh S Madhugiri1, Indira Devi Bhagavatula, Anita Mahadevan

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.

Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics
|August 3, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Phaeohyphomycosis, a fungal infection, can rarely affect the brain. This case report details a unique instance of a contained fungal granuloma caused by Fonsecaea pedrosoi, a very uncommon cause of cerebral infections.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Phaeohyphomycosis results from pigmented fungi, often non-pathogenic.
  • Cerebral infections by Fonsecaea species are rare, with Fonsecaea monophora being the most common cause.
  • Fonsecaea pedrosoi rarely causes brain infections, typically presenting as abscesses.

Observation:

  • This report describes an unusual case of a contained fungal granuloma.
  • The patient presented with epilepsy, initially attributed to an extratemporal lesion.
  • Diagnosis was confirmed post-surgical resection.

Findings:

  • Fonsecaea pedrosoi was identified as the causative agent of the fungal granuloma.
  • This represents a rare instance of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis due to F. pedrosoi.
  • The clinical presentation mimicked other causes of epilepsy.

Implications:

  • Highlights the diagnostic challenges of rare fungal brain infections.
  • Emphasizes the importance of considering unusual pathogens in refractory epilepsy.
  • Contributes to the limited case literature on F. pedrosoi cerebral infections.

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