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. 2025 Oct;31(10):2051-2054.
doi: 10.3201/eid3110.250715.

Increased Rates of Purpureocillium lilacinum Mold among Laboratory Culture Results, United States

Dallas J Smith, Luisa F López, Meghan Lyman, Claire Paisley-Jones, Kaitlin Benedict

Increased Rates of Purpureocillium lilacinum Mold among Laboratory Culture Results, United States

Dallas J Smith et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2025 Oct.

Abstract

Purpureocillium lilacinum, a common environmental mold and bionematicide, can cause human infections. At a major US commercial laboratory during March 2019-February 2025, P. lilacinum culture rates increased; rates were highest in the South Atlantic and Pacific states. Nonculture-based diagnostic tools such as microscopy may help identify and confirm clinical infection earlier.

Keywords: Purpureocillium; United States; fungi; hyalohyphomycosis; laboratories; mold.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Rates of Purpureocillium lilacinum mold among laboratory culture results, United States. Graph shows P. lilacinum cultures per 100,000 fungal cultures by year and quarter during March 2019–February 2024.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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