Exophiala Xenobiotica Research Articles

Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused byExophiala xenobioticain a non-Hodgkin lymphoma patient

Phaeohyphomycosis is a rare fungal infection that is more commonly associated with immunocompromised patients. We present a case in which a 77-year-old woman with non-Hodgkin lymphoma developed subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala xenobiotica. E. xenobiotica is a dematiaceous hyphomycete that was recently identified as a segregant of the E. jeanselmei complex. The patient was successfully treated with local excision of the lesions and post-surgical oral itraconazole. The latter was administered with the aim of preventing systemic dissemination in this immunocompromised patient.

Exophiala xenobiotica sp. nov., an opportunistic black yeast inhabiting environments rich in hydrocarbons

A new black yeast species, Exophiala xenobiotica, is described, a segregant of the Exophiala jeanselmei complex. It is morphologically very similar to E. jeanselmei, though with less melanized conidiogenous cells, but deviates unambiguously on the basis of molecular phylogeny. The species is a relatively common agent of cutaneous infections in humans, whereas E. jeanselmei is associated with subcutaneous infections. Environmental strains of E. xenobiotica are frequently found in habitats rich in monoaromatic hydrocarbons and alkanes.