Cutaneous Protothecosis in a patient with AIDS.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Cutaneous Protothecosis in a patient with AIDS.

Abstr Gen Meet Am Soc Microbiol. 1993;93:255 (abstract no. I-86). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASM93/93291805
Koestenblatt E; Woolrich A; Don P; Szaniawski W; Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla.

Abstract: Cutaneous Protothecosis an uncommon infection caused by achlorophyllic algae is seen primarily in immunosuppressed patients. Diagnosis may be quite challenging due to the rarity of the infection as well as the non-specific and variable clinical picture. Our patient, a 33 year old Hispanic female with AIDS developed a verrucous plaque on the dorsum of her hand. On biopsy, numerous thick walled, round to oval, nonbudding organisms were seen throughout the entire superficial and deep dermis, along with some morula forms. Smooth, creamy-white, yeast-like colonies, identified as Prototheca wickerhamii grew from culture. We believe this is the first report of cutaneous Protothecosis in a patient with AIDS. We suspect that as the number of immuno-compromised patients continue to grow, there is likely to be an increase of infections caused by these unusual opportunistic organisms.

Keywords: Adult AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/*DIAGNOSIS/PATHOLOGY Case Report Female Human *Prototheca/GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT/ISOLATION & PURIF Skin/PATHOLOGY Skin Diseases, Infectious/*ETIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY ABSTRACT
930930
M9391166

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