Talaromyces stipitatus, a novel agent causing superficial mycosis in a diabetic patient from North India

Abstract

Among millions of reported fungal species, only a few hundred species are capable of causing diseases in humans and animals that range from superficial to life-threatening infections. Both immunocompetent as well as immunocompromised patients with underlying diseases, such as AIDS, diabetes, etc., are at higher risk of acquiring fungal infections. Superficial mycoses invade the stratum corneum and the outermost layers of the skin. The aim of the present study was to study clinical symptoms, isolate and identify the causal agent in the investigated patient along with sharing insights achieved through reviewing the literature. Direct microscopy, cultural, microscopic, and molecular characterization was done to identify the recovered causal agent. Herein, we report a case of superficial mycosis that affected the left foot of a 65-year-old diabetic male who was a farmer by occupation from district Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The pathogenic fungal species was identified as Talaromyces stipitatus. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports on T. stipitatus as a causal agent of skin infection so far. Thus, the causal agent described in the research communication constitutes a new addition to the list of pathogenic non-dermatophytes associated superficially with human skin. In-vitro antifungal activity revealed fluconazole as the most effective antifungal agent against the causal agent.