Related Experiment Videos

An Unusual Suspect in a Case of Fungal Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection

Erin N Burns1, Boris Cehajic2

  • 1Surgery, William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Hattiesburg, USA.

Cureus
|August 18, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) can be fungal. A case report details a 79-year-old woman with NSTI caused by Pichia and Lactobacillus species after gastrostomy tube manipulation, emphasizing urgent surgical care.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Mycology
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) is a severe, rapidly progressing infection, often bacterial but with potential fungal origins.
  • Gastrostomy tube (G-tube) manipulation can predispose patients to localized infections.
  • Fungal and polymicrobial infections are less common causes of NSTI but can be life-threatening.
Keywords:
case reportfungal infectiongastrostomy tubelactobacillusnecrotizing soft tissue infectionpichiasurgical debridement

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Group Zygomycota01:29

Fungal Group Zygomycota

Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...