Background

Condition Lookup

Sub-Category:

Subcutaneous Mycoses

Number of Conditions: 1

Chromoblastomycosis

Specialty: Infectious Diseases

Category: Fungal Infections

Sub-category: Subcutaneous Mycoses

Symptoms:
wart-like lesions; ulcerated plaques; skin nodules; itching; secondary bacterial infections

Root Cause:
Chronic fungal infection caused by melanized fungi (e.g., Fonsecaea or Cladophialophora species) entering through skin trauma.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination, biopsy with histopathology showing muriform cells, fungal cultures, and PCR-based methods.

Treatment:
Long-term antifungal therapy combined with surgical excision or cryotherapy for localized lesions.

Medications:
Itraconazole and terbinafine (antifungal agents inhibiting fungal growth). Amphotericin B may be used in severe cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, endemic in tropical and subtropical regions, with higher incidence in rural agricultural workers.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Skin trauma, barefoot walking in endemic areas, and immunosuppression.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with early treatment, though chronic cases may require prolonged therapy. Without treatment, progression can lead to disfigurement.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic infections, secondary bacterial infections, and squamous cell carcinoma in long-standing lesions.