chromoblastomycosis (chromomycosis)

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Etiology

Epidemiology

  • rural populations in tropical or subtropical climates, Madagascar, Brazil, others
  • lattitude between 30 degrees North & 30 degrees South
  • male predominance (largely a result of differential risk of traumatic inoculation)
  • most commonly occurs in men age 30-50 years
  • the period between inoculation & disease manifestation is thought to be years, explaining the scarcity of children with chromoblastomycosis

Pathology

Clinical manifestations

  • a nodule develops slowly at the site of innoculation
  • over years, the nodule grows centripetally
  • the central parts of the nodule may heal, leaving ivory-colored scars
  • spread to neighboring healthy skin, forming plaques is common
  • can involve an entire limb
  • when nodules predominate over plaques, the affected region may have a cauliflower appearance

Laboratory

Complications

  • mortality is rare

Management

More general terms

References

  1. Schwartz RA and Baran E eMedicine: Chromoblastomycosis http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1092695-overview