Successful treatment of extensive basidiobolomycosis with oral itraconazole in a child.

BACKGROUND: Basidiobolomycosis is a rare chronic subcutaneous infection caused by Basidiobolus ranarum, which is usually treated with potassium iodide. Extensive deforming lesions in children can occur owing to lack of early diagnosis and/or inappropriate treatment.

CASE REPORT: An 8-year-old girl child presented to us with extensive deforming plaque-like lesions over the left thigh and leg with multiple ulcerations of 1 year's duration. Histopathology was suggestive of subcutaneous zygomycosis with Splendore Hoeppli phenomenon. Microscopic examination of the tissue showed branching, sparsely septate fungal hyphae on a 10%KOH mount, and culture yielded Basidiobolus ranarum. The patient was initially treated with potassium iodide for 6 weeks to which only a poor response was observed. Itraconazole therapy resulted in rapid regression of the lesions and complete resolution after 15 weeks of therapy. She continues to be disease-free at 1 year of follow up.

CONCLUSIONS: This case report highlights that in an older child even longstanding extensive basidiobolomycosis can be safely treated with itraconazole. Surgery is not usually necessary in these patients.