Microbiology
A mold, M. furfur, M. globosa, M. obtusa, M. pachydermatis, M. restricta, M. slooffiae, M. sympodialis. It looks like spaghetti and meatballs on a strain. Not any spaghetti and meatballs I would eat.
Epidemiologic Risks
Part of the normal skin, they love lipid (don't we all. mmmmmmmmm fat) and can be found in infections associated with iv lipid.
Syndromes
Pityriasis versicolor, folliculitis and seborrheic dermatitis in normal hosts.
Intravenous catheter infections and the rare invasive infections in the abnormal hosts, especially with intralipid (PubMed).
M. globosa causes dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.
Treatment
For skin disease terbinafine cream OR 2% selenium sulfide lotion, OR 20% sodium thiosulfate qd for 10 to 14 days. In severe cases, oral ketoconazole OR itraconazole.
In disseminated disease and line infections, pull the line and use amphotericin B OR itraconazole. Maybe. It is often resistant to amphotericin and the best bet may be posaconazole or voriconazole, depending on how susceptibility is determined (PubMed).
Notes
I try to avoid ketoconazole due to increased hepatotoxicity.
Last update: 05/05/18