Scedosporium apiospermum: An unreported cause of fungal sporotrichoid-like lymphocutaneous infection in Australia and review of the literature

Abstract

Scedosporium apiospermum is a fungus emerging as a rare but important cause of both localised and disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. Most cutaneous lesions present as mycetoma, however a review of the literature revealed an increasing number of cases worldwide presenting with lymphocutaneous spread resembling sporotrichosis. An 85-year-old man with an extensive medical history including type II diabetes mellitus and meningioma presented with crusted haemorrhagic areas on the dorsum of his left foot and multiple crusted nodules extending proximally along his leg in a sporotrichoid-like lymphocutaneous pattern. A mycological examination and culture of the cutaneous tissue found the fungus, Scedosporium apiospermum.

Keywords: Australia; Pseudallescheria boydii; Scedosporium apiospermum; cutaneous infection; lymphocutaneous; nodular lymphangitis; skin infection; sporotrichoid; sporotrichoid-like; sporotrichosis.