Tinea Corporis Caused by Trichophyton Benhamiae Transmitted by a Dog: First Case Report in Portugal

Dermatophytoses are superficial and contagious infections caused by dermatophyte fungi. They are the most frequent infectious dermatosis in clinical practice, and can affect the skin, hair and nails. Its correct diagnosis allows the understanding of clinical, ecological and epidemiological aspects associated with these microorganisms. Clinical presentation is variable and depends on the habitat (human, animal or soil origin), virulence of the fungus and on thehost’s immune status.We report the clinical case of a 62-year-old man with tinea corporis, which stands out for its exuberant clinical presentation and by the isolated agent, Trichophyton benhamiae (formerly known as Arthroderma benhamiae), an etiological agent of dermatophytosis that has not been scientifically reported in Portugal yet.

Atypical Dermatophytosis in 12 North American Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) from the Northeastern United States 2010–2017

Twelve wild North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) out of a total of 44 of this species examined in an 8-year period were diagnosed with dermatopathies while being cared for at two wildlife rehabilitation clinics. Biopsy and necropsy were performed on seven and five animals, respectively. Atypical dermatophytosis was diagnosed in all cases. Lesions consisted of diffuse severe epidermal hyperkeratosis and mild hyperplasia with mild lymphoplasmacytic dermatitis and no folliculitis. Dermatophytes were noted histologically as hyphae and spores in hair shafts, and follicular and epidermal keratin. Trichophyton sp. was grown in 5/6 animals where culture was performed, with a molecular diagnosis of Arthroderma benhamiae/Trichophyton mentagrophytes in these five cases. Metagenomic analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from three cases identified fungi from 17 orders in phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota. Alteration of therapy from ketaconazole, which was unsuccessful in four out of five early cases, to terbinafine or nitraconazole led to the resolution of disease and recovery to release in four subsequent animals. In all, six animals were euthanized or died due to dermatopathy, no cases resolved spontaneously, and six cases were resolved with therapy. The work we present demonstrates an atypical lesion and anatomical distribution due to dermatophytosis in a series of free-ranging wild porcupines and the successful development of novel techniques for extracting and sequencing nucleic acids from fungus in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded animal tissue.

Atypical Dermatophytosis in 12 North American Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) from the Northeastern United States 2010-2017

Twelve wild North American Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) were diagnosed with dermatopathies while being cared for at two wildlife rehabilitation clinics. Biopsy and necropsy were performed on 7 and 5 animals respectively. Atypical dermatophytosis was diagnosed in all cases. Lesions consisted of diffuse severe epidermal hyperkeratosis and mild hyperplasia, with mild lymphoplasmacytic dermatitis, and no folliculitis. Dermatophytes were noted histologically as hyphae and spores in hair shafts, and follicular and epidermal keratin. Trichophyton sp. was grown in 5/6 animals where culture was performed, with molecular diagnosis of Arthroderma benhamiae / Trichophyton mentagrophytes in these 5 cases. Metagenomic analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 3 cases identified fungi from 17 orders in phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota. Alteration of therapy from ketaconazole, which was unsuccessful in 4 of 5 early cases, to terbinafine or nitraconazole lead to resolution of disease and recovery to release in four subsequent animals. In all, 6 animals were euthanized or died due to dermatopathy, no cases resolved spontaneously, and 6 cases resolved with therapy. The work we present demonstrates an atypical lesion and anatomical distribution due to dermatophytosis in a series of free-ranging wild porcupines and successful development of novel techniques for extraction and sequencing nucleic acids from fungus in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded animal tissue.

Tinea capitis profunda mit Pediculosis capitis − eine ungewöhnliche Kombination

ZusammenfassungHauterkrankungen im Kindesalter stellen immer wieder eine Herausforderung dar. Pilzinfektionen überwiegen gegenüber bakteriellen Hautinfektionen und nehmen an Häufigkeit zu 1. Ektoparasitosen gehören zu den häufigen Dermatosen im Kindesalter, und man beobachtet ebenfalls eine zunehmende Inzidenz 1. Die Pediculosis capitis gilt als die häufigste Epizoonose im Kindesalter. Die Kopfläuse (Pediculi capitis) sind flügellose, blutsaugende Insekten. Sie verursachen stark juckende Papeln, mit darauffolgend entstandenen Kratzartefakten und Ekzematisation. Als mögliche Komplikation eines Läusebefalls kann eine bakterielle Superinfektion auftreten 1. Das Erregerspektrum der Tinea capitis im Kindesalter ist groß und umfasst viele zoophile und anthropophile Dermatophyten. Insbesondere der zoophile Erreger Trichophyton benhamiae (früher Trichophyton-Spezies von Arthroderma benhamiae) wird in letzter Zeit in Deutschland häufiger beobachtet 10. Infektionsquelle sind u. a. Meerschweinchen sowie andere kleine Nagetiere wie Hamster und Ratten 6. Eine Ektoparasitose mit gleichzeitig bestehender Pilzinfektion der Kopfhaut stellt in Europa eine Rarität dar und bedarf höchster Aufmerksamkeit. Wir berichten hier über einen 12-jährigen Knaben mit simultanem Kopflausbefall mit einer Tinea capitis profunda, verursacht durch den zoophilen Dermatophyten Trichophyton benhamiae.