Swimming pool deck as environmental reservoir of Fusarium.

While investigations on fungal contamination of swimming pools usually focus on dermatophytes, data on other potentially pathogenic molds are scarce. Here, we report the investigation of fungal colonization of the deck surrounding a hospital physical therapy swimming pool. Five series of samples from 8 sites were collected over one year from the pool surroundings. Concomitantly, 58 patients using the swimming pool were examined and samples obtained from those with suspected onychomycosis. All surface samples were positive for fungi, with Fusarium the most frequently recovered from 22 of 27 samples of sites surrounding the pool. Among the outpatients evaluated, two presented with a mixed onychomycosis from which Fusarium and Trichophyton rubrum were isolated. The questions of possible acquisition from the swimming pool area must be considered in both cases as the ungual lesions had developed within the previous three months. This warrants further studies to better understand the epidemiology of potentially pathogenic molds in areas surrounding pools in order to adopt appropriate measures to avoid contamination. This is of particular importance within medical institutions, considering the potential role of Fusarium onychomycosis as a starting point for disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients.

[Metastatic tubercular abscesses (tuberculous gumma): an unusual diagnosis in France]. / Abcès tuberculeux métastatiques (gommes tuberculeuses): un diagnostic rare en France.

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous tuberculosis is rare in the developed countries. We report a case of tuberculous gumma in an immunocompetent patient diagnosed late. CASE-REPORT: A 33-year-old Moroccan woman was diagnosed with tuberculous gumma after presenting cutaneous nodules and subcutaneous abscesses that had developed during pregnancy and were present for 11 months. Cutaneous and pulmonary tuberculosis was discovered. The patient recovered under antimycobacterial treatment. COMMENTS: Cutaneous tuberculosis presents with a wide spectrum of clinical lesions. It should be considered in the presence of poorly known lesions such as gumma, which require investigation for underlying tuberculosis.

[Microsporum canis tinea ciliaris and blepharitis]. / Teigne tondante ciliaire et blépharite à microsporum canis.

INTRODUCTION: The involvement of eyelashes and eyelids by dermatophytes is unfrequent. CASE REPORT: We describe such a case in a 48 year old woman, who presented with unilateral blepharitis, resistant to topical treatments with antiseptics, antibiotics and corticosteroids. Diagnosis was suspected by magnifying lens and Wood's light examination; Microsporum canis was isolated from broken eyelashes and scales of annular lesions of eyelids. CONCLUSION: This case emphasizes the interest of mycological examination of eyelashes and eyelids in front of a persisting unilateral blepharitis.

[Clinical and mycological study of 11 cases of genitopubic trichosporosis nodosa (white piedra)]. / Etude clinique et mycologique concernant 11 cas de trichosporie noueuse (piedra blanche) génito-pubienne.

Piedra (stone in Spanish) is the name given to a trichomycosis characterized by the formation of nodules resembling small stones. There are two varieties of the disease, depending on the colour of the nodules: white piedra and black piedra. Black piedra sharply differs from white piedra on three main scores: a) the causative agent is a black filamentous and sexed dematicious fungus, Piedraia hortai; b) the disease exclusively affects the scalp, and c) the geographical distribution of human black piedra is limited to tropical and subtropical areas (South America, South-East Asia). White piedra has a different aetiology, being caused by an asexual fungus, Trichosporon beigeli. The genus Trichosporon (Behrend, 1890) and the species T. beigeli (Vuillemin, 1902) were created from a case of piedra of the moustache. White piedra may involve hairy regions other than the scalp, such as the beard and moustache, less frequently the armpits, eyebrows, eyelashes and pubic hair. The disease has been observed in all continents, except Africa, and under all climates, although it is exceptionally found in cold areas (two indigenous cases in Finland). The observatio princeps of white piedra (on a false chignon) was published in 1865 by Beigel, in London. In France, only three cases, all concerning the moustache, were reported at the very beginning of this century No other case has been published in that country in the east 80 years. T. beigeli is a common saprophyte in nature. It has been found in soil, water, fruit, rotten vegetables, sawdust, as well as in man (skin, skin appendages, mucosae) and in animals (mammals, insects, mussels).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acremonium sclerotigenum-Acremonium egyptiacum: a multi-resistant fungal pathogen complicating the course of aplastic anaemia.

A patient with aplastic anaemia, successively treated with caspofungin then liposomal amphotericin, developed a disseminated infection due to Acremonium, further confirmed as resistant in vitro to these drugs. Successful treatment was achieved with voriconazole. Multiple antifungal treatments may expose to the risk of breakthrough of multi-resistant pathogens in haematology patients.

[Epidemiologic study of mycetomas in Mexico. Apropos of 502 cases]. / Etude épidémiologique des mycétomes au Mexique. A propos de 502 cas.

The epidemiological data of 502 mycetomas studied in the Department of Mycology, "Centro Dermatológico Pascua", Mexico City, were analysed. Mycetomas prevail in males (79.7%), they are more frequent between 16 and 45 years of age (75%) and among rural workers (62.5%); they preferentially affect lower limbs (62.5%); these data are generally similar to the known publications on the matter. Actinomycetomas are the most frequent with 97.2% of the cases, distributed as follows: Nocardia: 85.6% among which 71.9% are N. brasiliensis, Actinomadura madurae: 9.6%, Streptomyces somaliensis: 1.6%, Actinomadura pelletieri: only one case: 0.2%. Eumycetomas, a total of 9, are due to Madurella mycetomi (2), Madurella grisea (2), an undetermined black grain (1), Acremonium sp. and Fusarium sp. (1), Fusarium, sp. (1), Pseudallescheria boydii (1), and an undetermined white grain (1).