Basidiobolomycosis caused by a rare species - Basidiobolus meristosporus

Abstract

A five-year girl was referred to our centre with swelling over the right lower back. The child was evaluated to rule out chronic cutaneous tuberculosis, lymphoma and soft tissue tumor. Biopsy of the lesion on culture yielded Basidiobolus species. Whole genome sequencing of the isolate identified it as Basidiobolus meristosporus. Sequencing of fungi pathogenic to humans which cannot be differentiated by conventional methods of speciation becomes essential to assign pathogenicity, understand epidemiology and resolve the nuances in the ever-evolving taxonomical classification.

Keywords

• Entomophthoromycosis
• Basidiobolus
• Mimic
• Biopsy
• Molecular diagnosis