[Management of chromoblastomycosis, a challenge for limited-resource countries such as Madagascar]

Chromoblastomycosis (CBM) is a chronic fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by dematiaceous fungi. CBM lesions are recalcitrant and extremely difficult to eradicate. We report three cases of CBM with difficulties in therapeutic management.

Three men aged 36, 50 and 67 years, all farmers, presented for between three and ten years with hyperkeratotic, scaly plaques with black dots on the right thigh and left leg, respectively. For all patients, mycological examination showed fumagoid cells, all of which were pathognomonic for CBM. PCR identified Fonsecaeanubica in one patient and Cladophialophoracarrionii in two patients. All patients received itraconazole 200mg/day for over 18 months. Two patients required combined therapy with terbinafine for seven months, which improved lesions; however, relapse occurred in one patient during the 5th month of this combined therapy and five months after the end of this treatment in the other. The patient on monotherapy (itraconazole) also presented recurrence of lesions five months after the end of treatment.

Itraconazole is the standard therapy for CBM, with cure rates ranging from 15 to 80%. Success with itraconazole after eight to twelve months was reported by several authors. Fonsecaea and Cladophialophora are the most common species found in Madagascar, and while these organisms are susceptible to triazoles in vitro, clinical response is not so clear-cut.

Although unavailable in Madagascar, posaconazole and isavoconazole appear to be effective in treating chromoblastomycosis.