Nasal cutaneous infection in a healthy boy caused by Fusarium moniliforme

Abstract

A healthy 10-year-old Chinese boy developed verrucous plaques on the nose. The fungus was identified as Fusarium moniliforme via culture of biopsy fragments. The patient had normal immune status and was successfully treated with oral itraconazole (100 mg/day) for 2 months and application of oral itraconazole and topical sertaconazole nitrate cream. Fusarium is a ubiquitous hyalohyphomycete isolated from food that is also widespread in the environment and is present at all latitudes. Infections due to this mold may be disseminated or localized. Fusarium species have been known to colonize the cornea, nails, and burn eschars in otherwise healthy patients. Cutaneous and disseminated infections have been reported mostly in immunocompromised hosts. Here we describe an unusual case of localized infection caused by Fusarium moniliforme in an otherwise healthy child, with significant improvement after 2 months of oral itraconazole and topical sertaconazole nitrate cream therapy.