Hendersonula toruloidea Infection in Thailand

Abstract

Hendersonula toruloidea infection is present in Thailand, where the clinical picture of tinea pedis is scales 61%, erythema 22%, maceration 10.8%, and hyperkeratosis 9%. The diagnosis was confirmed by repeated isolation of H. toruloidea. The slow-growing type was found more often than the fast-growing in the ratio of 2.8:1. In patients with H. toruloidea infection, skin test with Hs antigen of 1:10 was positive. Griseofulvin sensitivity test revealed that the MIC of 20 cultures was more than 100 micrograms/ml. Only 2 out of 93 cases (0.02%) were cured with half-strength Whitfield ointment for 4 months. Pathomechanism of the infection is being studied.

Two cases of tinea pedis caused by Scytalidium hyalinum

“…Scytalidium spp is endemic to tropical and subtropical areas (India, the Caribbean, West Africa) [4,5] where it causes tinea pedis, onychomycosis and more rarely tinea manuum, variably associated and often asymptomatic [6]. Since the cases described by Campbell [20], all in subjects originally from endemic areas, except for few autochthonous cases [14-16,18,19,21]. The cases reported at latitudes other than the tropics are therefore almost all imported, and often involve subjects who have lived far from their country of origin for a considerable period.…”

Mycetoma caused by Scytalidium dimidiatum

“…Scytalidium dimidiatum , a saprophytic mould, is a pathogen of tropical plants and fruit trees such as banana and citrus 3 . The organism usually causes infection of the skin or nails, but has been implicated in a case of mycetoma 4 .…”

“…The organism usually causes infection of the skin or nails, but has been implicated in a case of mycetoma 4 . The infection is commonly derived from soil in barefooted persons 3 . To the best of our knowledge, only one case of mycetoma secondary to S. dimidiatum has been reported.…”

“…S. dimidiatum , a darkly pigmented mould formerly known as Hendersonula toruloidea , was first recognized as a human pathogen in 1970 4 . It is highly sensitive to cycloheximide and can be isolated only in the absence of this antibiotic 3 . There have been several reports of skin and nail infections caused by this organism, mostly in patients from Pakistan, India, the Caribbean and Kenya 3,6 .…”

“…It is highly sensitive to cycloheximide and can be isolated only in the absence of this antibiotic 3 . There have been several reports of skin and nail infections caused by this organism, mostly in patients from Pakistan, India, the Caribbean and Kenya 3,6 . To date, subcutaneous infection by this mould has only been reported in two cases, a deep facial lesion and a mycetoma affecting the foot 4 .…”