Abstract

RIVERA, Patricia et al. Diagnóstico diferencial de infecciones sistémicas por Trichosporon Beigelii. Rev. costarric. cienc. méd [online]. 2003, vol.24, n.1-2, pp.63-70. ISSN 0253-2948.

Trichosporon beigelii is a fungus isolated from soil and superficial water mainly from tropical countries. Also, it has been associated with human normal flora of ski n and mouth. Until 1970 its medical importance was regarded with "White Piedra" an infection that produces whiteness concretions attached to hair. Nowadays this agent is related with systemic infection with a high mortality, mainly in patients with immunodeficiency, associated HIV, malignant hematology disorders, treatments with cytotoxicity drugs or corticosteroids. In this paper we described the case of a three years old girl with a hepatic abscess. The histology of the biopsy material showed lesions characterized by inmflamatory infiltrates with predominance of mononuclear cells, cellular detritus and mycelial masses with blastospores, arthroblastospores, and pseudomycelia. A strain of Trichosporon beigelii was isolated from the biopsy tissue. At histopathologic analysis this micosis could be confounding with Candida, Aspergillus, or Geotrichum. Also, in blood agar the young colonies have a similar aspect of Candida. For those reasons, the observation of mycelia, blastospores, arthroplastospores, and pseudomicelia oriented the diagnosis.

Keywords : White Piedra blanca; hepatic abscess; systemic infections.