Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by Cladophialophora bantiana and Fonsecaea monophora: report of three cases

Abstract

Three cases of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis are described. Two cases (Cases 1, 2) are caused by highly neurotropic fungi, Cladophialophora bantiana, and the other one (Case 3) is the first reported case in the United States, caused by the newly defined Fonsecaea monophora. (Case 1): A 65-year-old woman had been treated for a presumed diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome and was found to have a ring-enhancing, fluid-filled lesion in the right frontal lobe. The lesion was aspirated twice and then resected completely. (Case 2): A 45-year-old woman with a history of severe dermatomyositis presented with subacute ischemia in the left brainstem. Approximately 2 months later, she developed acute obstructive hydrocephalus and was found to have small cystic lesions in the left ambient cistern, fourth ventricle and cerebral aqueduct, which had probably caused the previous ischemic symptoms due to emboli/ thrombi. (Case 3): A 62-year-old, post livertransplant woman developed multiple brain and bone abscesses. Cultures from these lesions grew the same fungi. Histologically, all three cases revealed multiple epithelioid and giant cell granulomata with groups of golden-brown yeast-like cells as well as chains of budding cells. In Case 3, scattered muriform cells, characteristic of chromoblastomycosis, were present. In Cases 2 and 3, the fungi were easily identified on frozen sections, which may be considered useful in determining post-operative therapy.