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Journal of Fungi
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  • Case Report
  • Open Access

31 December 2025

Cutaneous Alternariosis Caused by Alternaria infectoria: A Case Report in Kidney Transplant Recipient and Literature Review

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1
Unit of Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplant, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Piazzale Golgi 19, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Via Aselli 43/45, 27100 Pavia, Italy
3
Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
4
Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Paediatric Science, Institute of Dermatology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Piazzale Golgi 19, 27100 Pavia, Italy
This article belongs to the Section Fungal Pathogenesis and Disease Control

Abstract

Cutaneous infections caused by dematiaceous fungi are rare in the general population but are increasingly recognized in solid organ transplant recipients as a consequence of prolonged immunosuppression. When Alternaria species are confirmed as the causative agents of a skin infection, the condition is referred to as alternariosis. These infections may clinically resemble bacterial or neoplastic lesions and require accurate diagnosis and individualized therapy. We report one case of cutaneous alternariosis in a kidney transplant recipient receiving tacrolimus-based immunosuppression. The patient was a 47-year-old woman who sustained minor trauma to her knee three months after transplantation. She developed an ulcerated, crusted lesion, which coincided with severe neutropenia. Histology, culture and molecular identification confirmed A. infectoria. Treatment included systemic azole therapy (voriconazole followed by isavuconazole) and surgical excision, resulting in resolution without recurrence. This case highlights the importance of early recognition of alternariosis in transplant recipients. Successful management typically requires combined surgical and systemic antifungal therapy, with careful monitoring of drug interactions and immunosuppressive levels to prevent toxicity or rejection.

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