A case of phaeohyphomycosis is reported in a male renal transplant recipien
t with a nodular lesion in the right leg who was treated with immunosuppres
sing drugs. The lesion consisted of a purulent cyst with thick walls. The c
yst was excised surgically, and the patient did not receive any antifungal
therapy. One year later he remains well. Histological study of the lesion s
howed a granulomatous reaction of epithelioid and multinucleate giant cells
, with a central area of necrosis and pus. Fontana-Masson staining demonstr
ated the presence of pigmented hyphal elements. The fungus Colletotrichum c
rassipes was grown in different cultures from the cyst. The in vitro inhibi
tory activities of eight antifungal drugs against the isolate were tested.
Clotrimazole and UR-9825 were the most active drugs. This case represents t
he first known reported infection caused by this rare species.