Premium
Cold subcutaneous abscesses as the first manifestation of disseminated coccidioidomycosis in an immunocompromised host
Author(s) -
GarzaChapa Juana Irma,
MartínezCabriales Sylvia Aide,
OcampoGarza Jorge,
GómezFlores Minerva,
OcampoCandiani Jorge,
Welsh Oliverio
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
australasian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.67
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1440-0960
pISSN - 0004-8380
DOI - 10.1111/ajd.12424
Subject(s) - medicine , asymptomatic , dermatology , coccidioides immitis , amphotericin b , immunosuppression , antifungal drugs , antibiotics , antifungal , immunology , surgery , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic fungal infection in the southwestern USA and northern M exico. It is caused by C occidioides immitis and C . posadasii. This infection occurs due to the inhalation of airborne arthroconidia, causing a mild pulmonary infection, but most cases are asymptomatic. Disseminated coccidioidomycosis ( DC ) is a rare entity occurring in less than 1% of all cases, usually in immunocompromised patients, and it carries high risks of morbidity and mortality. The skin is one of the most frequently affected organs and in some cases cutaneous lesions may be the first or only sign of infection. A wide spectrum of clinical lesions may develop, including cold abscess. In immunocompromised hosts, DC represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Treatment is based on antifungal drugs, such as amphotericin B and azoles, administered for long periods of time and under close follow up to monitor the treatment response and to detect relapse. In the following case report, we present a 35‐year‐old male patient with systemic lupus erythematosus under immunosuppressive therapy who presented with cold subcutaneous abscesses as the first sign of DC .