Sticks and bones: Traumatic phaeohyphomycosis presenting as an epidural scalp abscess and cranial osteomyelitis

Abstract

The pigmented molds can cause soft tissue and invasive disease (phaeohyphomycosis) in immunocompetent patients. We describe a 76-year-old male patient who developed a Cladophialophora bantiatum posterior scalp abscess and cranial osteomyelitis following an incidental scalp exposure with a tree branch. Management requires extensive surgical debridement followed by prolonged antifungal therapy. Keywords: Phaeohyphomycosis, Cranial, Osteomyelitis, Cladosporium, Cladophialophora bantiatum