[Skin infections caused by Fusarium]

Abstract

Under favorable conditions even molds can cause skin infections. Fusarium spp. belong to this group of agents. Onychomycoses due to Fusarium spp. are regularly encountered and cannot be clinically distinguished from nail infections triggered by dermatophytes. They can occur in otherwise healthy persons. Skin lesions caused by Fusarium spp. may be necrotizing, ulcerating, pustular, vasculitis-like, panniculitis-like or granulomatous. Single lesions can develop after fungal inoculation into damaged tissue; multiple ones are often due to a septic dissemination of Fusarium in severely immunocompromised patients. An immediate verification of the agents can be life-saving in such cases. Pathogenic Fusarium spp. should be identified at the species level and need to be tested for their susceptibility to antimycotics. In case of multiple lesions, systemic therapy is required. Many strains of Fusarium spp. are susceptible to amphotericin B, voriconazole and posaconazole; itraconazole and terbinafine may be helpful in certain cases.