Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis - History, concepts, clinical and therapeutic update.

Cryptococcosis is a disease caused by fungi of the genus Cryptococcus, with the species Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii being recognized as pathogenic. Cutaneous cryptococcosis can be classified as "secondary", developing from a previous systemic disease, or, on the contrary, "primary", resulting from transcutaneous inoculation of the agent. It can also be classified as "disseminated cutaneous cryptococcosis", when there is an associated systemic disease, or "localized", when it is restricted to the skin.

Paracoccidioidomycosis: acute-subacute clinical form, juvenile type.

The authors report aspects of paracoccidioidomycosis, acute-subacute clinical form, juvenile type, in a 19-year-old female patient. Paracoccidioidomycosis, juvenile type, classically occurs in young patients, both sexes, with lymphoma-like aspects as initial presentation. However, following the natural history of the disease the lymph nodes assume patterns of infectious disease, as an abscess and fistulae.

Cutaneous histoplasmosis disclosing an HIV-infection.

Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis endemic in extensive areas of the Americas. The authors report on an urban adult male patient with uncommon oral-cutaneous lesions proven to be histoplasmosis. Additional investigation revealed unnoticed HIV infection with CD4+ cell count of 7/mm3.

White piedra and pediculosis capitis in the same patient.

White piedra is a superficial mycosis caused by the genus Trichosporon. It is characterized by nodules on the hair shaft. Pediculosis capitis is caused by Pediculus humanus var.

White piedra: molecular identification of Trichosporon inkin in members of the same family.

Introduction: White piedra is a superficial mycosis caused by the genus Trichosporon and characterized by nodules on hair shaft.

Methods: The authors report a family referred to as pediculosis. Mycological culture on Mycosel® plus molecular identification was performed to precisely identify the etiology.

Exuberant clinical presentation of probable Malassezia folliculitis in a young nonimmunosuppressed patient.

Malassezia folliculitis is an inflammatory disorder observed in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients. The authors describe an unusual and exuberant presumed case affecting the face, trunk and upper limbs of a 12-year-old nonimmunosuppressed patient. Although the agent was not identified by culture, the clinical and histopathological aspects plus the response to specific treatment support the diagnosis of Malassezia folliculitis.

Paracoccidioidomycosis of external genitalia: report of six new cases and review of the literature.

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis of dermatological interest due to the frequency of cutaneous and mucosal lesions. The involvement of the external genitalia is extremely rare and few cases have been reported.

Objective: To study the prevalence of external genitalia lesions in paracoccidioidomycosis patients, identify clinical characteristics and compare with what is observed in the specific literature.

Paracoccidioidomycosis: an unusual presentation in a young girl disclosing an unnoted HIV-infection.

The association of paracoccidioidomycosis with AIDS is apparently less frequent than expected. The authors present an unusual case of paracoccidioidomycosis in a 13-year-old female student which was later found to be the first opportunistic infection in the course of the patient's HIV-infection. The clinical presentation followed an accidental incised wound on the palmar region initially described as a 'sporotrichotic-chancre'.

Histoplasmosis presenting as cellulitis 18 years after renal transplantation.

A 49-year-old renal transplant patient, under an 18-year course of immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone and azathioprine and, more recently, prednisone plus mycophenolate sodium, developed a cutaneous-subcutaneous infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum. The clinical presentation consisted of a slowly enlarging, erythematous and infiltrative 25 cm plaque in the major axis on the arm. There was no involvement of the lungs or any other organ.

Paracoccidioidomycosis: infiltrated, sarcoid-like cutaneous lesions misinterpreted as tuberculoid leprosy.

The authors report a case of paracoccidioidomycosis misinterpreted as tuberculoid leprosy, both on clinical and histological examination. Sarcoid-like cutaneous lesion as the initial presentation is rare in young patient with paracoccidioidomycosis and can simulate other infectious or inflammatory diseases. On histology, tuberculoid granuloma presented similar difficulties.