Cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis due to Cladophialophora bantiana in an immunocompetent patient

Abstract

We report the case of a 56-year-old Chinese woman with phaeohyphomycosis. She presented with a 4-year history of a recurring erythematous plague initially diagnosed as chromoblastomycosis on histopathological examination. Surgical excision was performed when the lesion recurred despite intial treatment response to itraconazole. Tissue cultures of the surgical specimen grew Cladophialophora bantiana. Treatment with terbinaffine post surgery was instituted with no recurrence of the lesion to date. Cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Cladophialophora bantiana is rare and this case highlights the clinical presentation, laboratory findings and treatment of this infection.