Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei in a domestic cat

Abstract

Extract

The term phaeohyphomycosis is applied to granulomatous nodules and abscesses usually single, usually involving only skin and subcutis and caused by species of soil and wood-dwelling fungi which produce dark (dematiaceous) hyphae and spores. In a recent publication, Ajello listed 71 species of dematiaceous fungi from 39 genera which have been found to cause phaeohyphomycosis in humans and in lower animals ⁽¹⁾ . There have been two published reports of feline phaeohyphomycosis in which the fungus Exophiala jeanselmei has been isolated ^{(2) (3)} , and in Australia the closely related E. spinifera has been isolated from a further two cases ⁽⁴⁾ . There are a number of cases in the literature in which the diagnosis has been based solely on histopathology, which, although characteristic, gives no indication as to the identity of the fungus involed ^{(5) (6) (7)} .