Disseminated phaeohyphomycosis due to Cladophialophora bantiana in an immunocompetent child

J Mycol Med. 2024 Feb 24;34(2):101467. doi: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2024.101467. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

A 3-year-old boy presented with acute headache, vomiting and right focal clonic seizures without history of fever, joint pain or altered sensorium. Neuroimaging showed multifocal contrast enhancing lesions with significant perilesional edema. CECT chest and abdomen showed multiple variable sized nodules in the lungs and hypodense lesion in liver with mesenteric lymphadenopathy. There was persistent eosinophilia with maximum upto 35 %. Liver biopsy and brain biopsy revealed Cladophialophora bantiana. He was treated with IV liposomal amphotericin and voriconazole for 6 weeks with repeat neuroimaging showing more than 50 % resolution of the intracranial lesions. He was transitioned to oral combination of flucytosine and voriconazole. At 14 months follow-up, he remained symptom free with complete radiological resolution of the lesions and no eosinophilia. High suspicion, an aggressive approach in obtaining microbiological diagnosis and timely combination antifungal therapy may give satisfactory outcome without surgery.

Keywords: Cladophialophora bantiana; Combination antifungals; Eosinophilia; Phaeohyphomycosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports