Successful Posaconazole Therapy of Disseminated Alternariosis due to Alternaria infectoria in a Heart Transplant Recipient
Abstract
We report a case of phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria infectoria in a 61-year-old heart transplant recipient with multiple skin lesions and pulmonary infiltrates. The infection spread via the haematogenous route from the primary cutaneous lesions into the lungs.
The diagnosis was based on the histopathological examination, direct microscopy, skin lesion cultures and detection of Alternaria DNA in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using molecular methods. The treatment consisted of a combination of surgical excision and systemic antifungal therapy.
Voriconazole was the first agent used but had a weak effect. Posaconazole was subsequently used to achieve a successful response.
The isolate was identified as A. infectoria by sequencing of the rDNA ITS region and the partial beta-tubulin gene.