Colonic Basidiobolomycosis—An Unusual Presentation of Eosinophilic Intestinal Inflammation

Basidiobolomycosis is a rare fungal disease caused by Basidiobolus ranarum. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is unusual and poses both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, as clinical signs are non-specific and predisposing risk factors are lacking. It can mimick inflammatory bowel disea...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elena Kurteva, Alasdair Bamford, Kate Cross, Tom Watson, Catherine Owens, Fanlek Cheng, John Hartley, Kathryn Harris, Elizabeth M. Johnson, Keith Lindley, Samantha Levine, Jutta Köglmeier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fped.2020.00142/full
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Summary:Basidiobolomycosis is a rare fungal disease caused by Basidiobolus ranarum. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is unusual and poses both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, as clinical signs are non-specific and predisposing risk factors are lacking. It can mimick inflammatory bowel disease, primary immunodeficiency, or a malignancy and should be considered in patients who do not respond to standard therapy. We present the case of a 22 months old boy with confirmed colonic Basidiobolomycosis, who presented with severe eosinophilic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Panfungal PCR performed on DNA extracted directly from a tissue sample confirmed the presence of Basidiobolus. He made a full recovery with a combination of surgery and prolonged targeted antifungal medication.
ISSN:2296-2360