Subcutaneous basidiobolomycosis , an unusual case

Basidiobolus ranarum, belonging to the order Entomophthorales, is known to cause subcutaneous infection in healthy individuals. It has been isolated from extremities, trunk, intestinal tract, etc. Basidiobolomycosis usually occurs in children, less often in adolescents and adults. We report a case of subcutaneous basidiobolomycosis in a middle aged immunocompetent man, a farmer. He had presented with a painless swelling of three years duration at his right thigh. Initially the lesion was mistakenly treated as tuberculosis. Later, culture of biopsy specimen from the lesion yielded Basidiobolus ranarum showing characteristic conidia with beak-like papilla. The lesion completely subsided with oral potassium iodide treatment. Unlike mucorales, entomophthorales cause chronic, less aggressive infections and respond well to potassium iodide. This case emphsises the need for a high index of suspicion for fungal aetiology, including Basidiobolus ranarum, in chronic subcutaneous lesions. Fungal culture from tissue specimens helps in identifying the pathogenic organisms and choosing the appropriate treatment. Oral Potassium iodide can be used as an effective and cheap first line drug for basidiobolomycosis, especially in resource constrained settings. BioMedSciDirect Publications International Journal of BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH www.biomedscidirect.com Int J Biol Med Res Volume 3, Issue 1, Jan 2012