ORGANISMS
5 species
Phialophora verrucosa
Fonsecaea pedrosoi
Fonsecaea compacta
Cladosporium carrionii
Rhinocladiella aquaspersa
Fungi exists worldwide in soil, wood and decaying plant material
Image kindly supplied by
J.
Weber, Med. Micro. & Immunology University of
Wisconsin-Madison
Organisms introduced into the skin through minor wounds e.g. a cut with a splinter from walking barefoot.
Dark brown crusty lesions on legs and feet
Starts as a single lesion growing slowly .
The limb may enlarge and new lesions develop in time near the first one
Eventually a warty nodule develops
Chronic cases acquire thickened warty skin.
Maybe no discomfort but some itching.
Often confused with other fungal diseases e.g. sporotrichosis
Image copyright (c) www.doctorfungus.org and used by permission
The disease occurs worldwide - especially in tropical and subtropical
areas
Those who walk barefoot in soil or wooded areas.
Microscopy showing characteristic hard cells.
Culture of scrapings or pus swabs
Skin biopsy showing typical thick walled cells.
Rarely, chromoblastomycosis resolves spontaneously leaving a scar.
Treatment difficult and prolonged.
Possibly treat with Itraconazole Flucytosine Thiobendazole
Local heat Cryotherapy Surgery to remove the affected tissue completely.
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