Pheohyphomycotic soft tissue disease caused by Alternaria alternata in a kidney transplant patient: a case report and literature review

Transplant Proc. 2007 Jun;39(5):1655-9. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2006.11.023.

Abstract

A 61-year-old Italian man, who underwent a renal transplantation 8 years ago, receiving azathioprine, prednisone, and cyclosporine for immunosuppressive therapy, presented with a large reddish indurated plaque with a central ulcer, which was slowly enlarged, on the right knee. From the diseased tissue biopsy, a dematiaceous fungus matching Alternaria alternata in all essential characters was isolated in pure culture. This is an uncommon fungal complication in a kidney transplant patient. A detailed morphological description of the isolate is provided as well as review of the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alternaria*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Kidney Transplantation / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycoses / etiology*
  • Mycoses / pathology
  • Postoperative Complications / microbiology
  • Postoperative Complications / pathology