CUTANEOUS INFECTION DUE TO CLADOPHIALOPHORA-BANTIANA IN A PATIENT RECEIVING IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE THERAPY

Cladophialophora bantiana (Xylohypha bantiana, Cladosporium trichoides ), a dematiaceous fungus, causes mainly infections of the central nerv ous system. Systemic antifungal therapy is apparently unsuccessful. Ex tracerebral involvement is uncommon and only few cases have been repor ted. We describe a 63-year-old patient, a kidney transplant recipient on prolonged prednisone and cyclosporin, who developed a large single lesion on the thigh from which Cladophialophora bantiana was cultured. A 3-month course of itraconazole 200 mg daily resulted in complete he aling of the lesion. To the best of our knowledge this is the first re port on cutaneous infection with Cladophialophora bantiana in an organ transplant recipient and the first in whom treatment with itraconazol e led to resolution.