Case Report
Subcutaneous Granulomatous Inflammation due to
Basidiobolomycosis: Case Reports of 3 Patients in Buruli Ulcer
Endemic Areas in Benin
Luc V. C. Brun ,
1
Jean Jacques Roux,
2
Ghislain E. Sopoh ,
3,4
Julia Aguiar,
5
Miriam Eddyani,
6
Wayne M. Meyers,
7
Dirk Stubbe,
8
Marie T. Akele Akpo,
9
Françoise Portaels,
6
and Bouke C. de Jong
6
1
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Parakou, 03 BP 333 Parakou, Benin
2
Department of Pathology, Hospital of Chamb´ ery, Place Lucien Biset, 73000 Chamb´ ery, France
3
Buruli Ulcer Treatment Center, Allada, Benin
4
Regional Institute of Public Health, Ouidah, Benin
5
Nutritional Center of Gbemontin, Zagnanado, Benin
6
Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
7
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC, USA
8
BCCM/IHEM Biomedical Fungi and Yeasts Collection, Scientifc Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium
9
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
Correspondence should be addressed to Luc V. C. Brun; luc.brun2013@gmail.com
Received 11 August 2017; Accepted 11 December 2017; Published 10 January 2018
Academic Editor: Mark Li-cheng Wu
Copyright © 2018 Luc V. C. Brun et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Background. Basidiobolomycosis is a rare subcutaneous mycosis, which can be mistaken for several other diseases, such as sof
tissue tumors, lymphoma, or Buruli ulcer in the preulcerative stage. Microbiological confrmation by PCR for Basidiobolus ranarum
and culture yield the most specifc diagnosis, yet they are not widely available in endemic areas and with varying sensitivity. A
combination of histopathological fndings, namely, granulomatous infammation with giant cells, septate hyphal fragments, and
the Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon, can confrm basidiobolomycosis in patients presenting with painless, hard induration of
sof tissue. Case Presentations. We report on three patients misdiagnosed as sufering from Buruli ulcer, who did not respond to
Buruli treatment. Histopathological review of the tissue sections from these patients suggests basidiobolomycosis. All patients had
been lost to follow-up, and none received antifungal therapy. On visiting the patients at their homes, two were reported to have
died of unknown causes. Te third patient was found alive and well and had experienced local spontaneous healing. Conclusion.
Basidiobolomycosis is a rare subcutaneous fungal disease mimicking preulcerative Buruli ulcer. We stress the importance of the
early recognition by clinicians and pathologists of this treatable disease, so patients can timely receive antifungal therapy.
1. Introduction
Basidiobolomycosis is a subcutaneous mycosis that occurs in
tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and South
America, caused by Basidiobolus ranarum Eidam or related
species [1]. Te disease mainly afects children and tends
to preferentially afect the thighs, buttocks, or trunks. Te
clinical and histopathological signs at frst do not evoke a
fungal disease. Te initial infection is subacute, sometimes
marked by a pseudophlegmon or erysipelas. Te evolution
is slow and gradual, with periods of remissions over several
months or years, in the form of an extensive plaque. Patients
on immunosuppressive therapy may be at higher risk of
developing progressive disease [2]. Clinical examination
reveals inhomogeneous swellings. Palpation reveals irregular
frm nodules. Te edema is nonpitting and hard as wood, and
the skin is rigid and cannot wrinkle. Te symptomatology
varies, depending on the evolutionary stage (early versus
Hindawi
Case Reports in Pathology
Volume 2018, Article ID 1351694, 6 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1351694