BRAIN-ABSCESS CAUSED BY SCHIZOPHYLLUM-COMMUNE - AN EMERGING BASIDIOMYCETE PATHOGEN

Despite the worldwide distribution and prevalence of Schizophyllum com mune, an emerging basidiomycetous pathogen, human infections occur onl y rarely. We describe the first well-documented pulmonary infection ca used by S. commune which disseminated to the brain of a 58-year-old pa tient undergoing empiric corticosteroid therapy. Magnetic resonance im aging scans revealed ring-enhancing masses. Histologic examination of biopsy tissue from lungs and brain showed hyaline, septate, branched h yphae with clamp connections. Cultures of the lung tissue grew S. comm une, which produced numerous, characteristic flabelliform and medusoid fruiting bodies on Czapek's agar. The isolate was susceptible to amph otericin B (MIC, <0.03 mu g/ml) and fluconazole (MIC, 8 mu g/ml). Desp ite treatment with antifungal and antibacterial agents, the patient de veloped progressive pulmonary failure and bacterial sepsis and died.