Enhancement in serum (1–3)-β-D-glucan level by cutaneous alternariosis: A case report and literature review

Contamination with the fungus Alternaria spp. is often considered to have originated from laboratory sources, which occasionally causes infection in immunocompromised patients, termed as phaeohyphomycosis. Here, we have reported a case of cutaneous alternariosis caused by Alternaria alternata. This diagnosis was based on microscopic examination and mycological culturing of patient's vesicular lesions, with the use of 5 molecular markers (namely, ITS, ATPase, Actin, rpb2, and tef1) for strain identification. We noted that Alternaria infection caused an increase in the serum level of (1–3)-β-D-glucan (BG) in the patients. To the best of our knowledge, no such finding has been reported in previously in the literature. 1, Alternaria often causes infection in immunocompromised people2, the serum BG level detection can be used as a potential auxiliary diagnostic for A. alternata infection.3, Voriconazole is an effective regimen for A. alternata infection.4, A. alternata infect human can manifest as a vesicular lesion.