Neurotropic black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis in children’s gut microbiota

Abstract

Exophiala is a heterogeneous genus of dematiaceous (darkly pigmented fungus) taxonomically positioned in the family Herpotrichiellaceae, order Chaetothyriales, class Ascomycete.1 It is responsible for subcutaneous and invasive human infections, can cause phaeohyphomycosis and chromoblastomycosis by traumatic inoculation and systemic invasions mostly in immunocompromised hosts.2‒4 Exophiala dermatitidis is implicated in severe illnesses in humans, such as pneumonia and keratitis and might lead to fatal brain infections. It has been reported as colonizer of the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.5 This specie seems to have neurotropism, with significant morbidity and mortality.6,7 It has also been isolated from a wide range of surfaces such as soil, glacier water, bathrooms, dishwashers, steam baths, contaminated areas with aromatic hydrocarbons, indoor habitats connected to water sources and high temperatures.8‒11 In the human intestinal tract there are only a few reports from Germany, Nigeria, Netherlands, Slovenia and United States.4,12,13 The aim was to investigate the presence of Exophiala species in the gastrointestinal tract from a pediatric population in Venezuela.