Abstract

Fusarium species belong to the class Deuteromycetes, order Moniliales. They are common saprophytes, and plant pathogens. In human, Fusarium species rarely cause opportunistic infection such as keratomycosis and onychomycosis. Tinea versicolor caused by Fusarium species are rarely found in burned patient. Recently, we experienced a case of tinea versicolor caused by Fusarium species in 7 years old boy. The patient visited to the dermatology department because of a large skin ulceration with severe itching sensation and pain on the anterior aspect of the left thigh. Seventeen months prior to this entry, he had a fracture of left femur by traffic acident, and immobilized with cast for 2 months. When the cast was removed military sized erythema accompanying itching sensation on anterior aspect of left thigh was noticed. It aggrevated progressively. Skin biopsy and fungus culture were done. Skin biopsy material showed eroded epidermis, invasion of fungal hyphae into the lower dermis, and chronic granulomatous inflammation, consistent with fungal granuloma. Serial fungus culture studies revealed whitish filamentous colonies on Sabouraud dextrose agar at room temperature. There was a slight orange-yellow pigment on the reverse, which turned brown with age. Microscoscopically, the organism manifested numerous, sickle-shaped, fusiform, multiseptate macroconidia, consistent with Fusarium species.