DEEP-SEATED FUNGAL DISEASES IN THE SOUTH-PACIFIC, ESPECIALLY IN NEW-CALEDONIA

The main deep-seated fungal diseases and their encountered pathology i n New Caledonia and other islands of the South Pacific are reviewed (1 970-96). Cryptococcosis is encountered in all islands of the South Pac ific, Australia and Papua New Guinea, with a predominance of variety g attii, which is associated with some species of Eucalyptus. Histoplasm osis is not uncommon, and there was an epidemic in New Caledonia in 19 94 among people who had visited a bat-inhabited cave. Mycetomas, in pa rticular presenting as pale granules in tissues, are encountered in Ne w Caledonia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and French Polynesia. Oth er fungal infections, such as zygomycosis, sporotrichosis (three cases ) and chromomycosis (six cases) are rarely observed in New Caledonia.