Cladophialophora bantiana

Cladophialophora bantiana is a fungus species which belongs to a group of pigmented hyphal yeasts known as "black molds" or "dematiaceous fungi." Organisms in the Cladophialophora genus cause a variety of infections in both normal and immunosuppressed human patients, including cerebral abscesses and chronic cutaneous and subcutaneous infection called eumycetomas.

Cladophialophora bantiana has several older names in the literature including Clodosporium trichoides, C. bantianum and Xylohypha bantiana. This organism is fully capable of invading the nervous system and cause brain abscesses (phaeohyphomycosis) which are associated with high mortality of up to 70% despite combined surgical and high-dose antifungal therapy. Although previously considered a rare cause of cerebral abscess, C. bantiana fungal infections have become more common in recent years. Aggressive and continuous treatment with voriconazole may offer an improved chance of survival in these patients. ³

Recently, several cases of meningo-encephalitis, skin ulcers, osteomyelitis, and systemic infections due to Cladophialophora bantiana have been reported in cats and dogs. In most cases, the fungus was identified on postmortem examination. Most of the cases in dogs and cats were reported in males.^4,5

References:

1. Garzoni C, Markham L, Bijlenga P, Garbino J.Cladophialophora bantiana: a rare cause of fungal brain abscess. Clinical aspects and new therapeutic options.
2. Picture of Cladophialophora bantiana culture
3. Lyons MK, Blair JE, Leslie KO. Successful treatment with voriconazole of fungal cerebral abscess due to Cladophialophora bantiana.
4. J. Guillot et al. Eumycetoma Caused by Cladophialophora bantiana in a Dog
5. Michal O. Hess, DVM. Phaeohyphomycotic osteomyelitis in the femur of a cat
6. Picture of Cladophialophora bantiana conidia

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