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Exserohilum: an emerging human pathogen

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European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 05 April 2006

Abstract

Exserohilum is a dematiaceous fungus that may cause a spectrum of diseases in humans, including skin and corneal infection, invasive disease, and allergic fungal sinusitis. The aim of this work is to describe two new cases of Exserohilum infection and to review the literature. The review yielded 33 cases of Exserohilum infection, of which 23 were reported since 1993. Most occurred in regions with hot climates, such as India, Israel, and the southern USA. Impaired immunity was present in the majority of patients with invasive and skin infections, whereas local trauma and atopy were the predisposing factors in those with corneal infections and allergic fungal sinusitis, respectively. Surgical debridement was the principal mode of therapy for allergic fungal sinusitis. Amphotericin B was the initial single antifungal agent used in all cases of invasive disease; the response rate was low but improved with the addition of triazole agents. Outcome appeared to be better than for other mold infections and depended mainly on the underlying diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Hospital Infection Control, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, 14 Kaplan Street, POB 559, Petah Tiqva, 49202, Israel

    A. Adler & I. Levy

  2. Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Unit of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, 14 Kaplan Street, POB 559, Petah Tiqva, 49202, Israel

    I. Yaniv, J. Yacobovich, S. Fisher & G. Avrahami

  3. Microbiology Department, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, 14 Kaplan Street, POB 559, Petah Tiqva, 49202, Israel

    Z. Samra

  4. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    A. Adler, I. Yaniv, Z. Samra, J. Yacobovich, S. Fisher, G. Avrahami & I. Levy

  5. Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah Medical Center, Kiryat Hadassah, Ein Karem, Jerusalem, Israel

    A. Adler

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  1. A. Adler
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  2. I. Yaniv
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  3. Z. Samra
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  4. J. Yacobovich
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  5. S. Fisher
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  6. G. Avrahami
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  7. I. Levy
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Correspondence to A. Adler.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10096-006-0121-3

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Adler, A., Yaniv, I., Samra, Z. et al. Exserohilum: an emerging human pathogen. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 25, 247–253 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-006-0093-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-006-0093-3

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