Dyschromia of hands and bronchial asthma caused by sooty molds

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology
Fabrizio GuarneriBiagio Guarneri

Abstract

Sooty molds are saprophytic fungi living on plants and feeding on honeydew secreted by some parasitic insects. We present a case of a 41-year-old male laborer who developed hypo- and hyperpigmented areas on his hands, without signs of inflammation or allergic reaction, together with several episodes of bronchial asthma, after occupational handling of sooty mold-covered citrus fruit. While positive prick tests to Alternaria (+++) and Cladosporium (+++) demonstrated the allergic nature of the patient's asthma, the pathogenic mechanism of skin dyspigmentation in such cases remains unknown. Hyperpigmentation could be due to intracutaneous penetration of a melanoid fungal pigment through repeated occupational microtraumatic events, while hypopigmentation could be caused by fungal products that are toxic/apoptosis-inducing for melanocytes and/or that interfere with melanogenesis (as observed for other fungi, such as Malassezia). This case suggests that further research is warranted in the probably underestimated field of sooty mold-related human diseases, and underlines the importance of education, use of protection devices, and prevention of sooty mold infestation in individuals exposed to these fungi.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Asthma

This feed focuses in Asthma in which your airways narrow and swell. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

Allergy and Asthma

Allergy and asthma are inflammatory disorders that are triggered by the activation of an allergen-specific regulatory t cell. These t cells become activated when allergens are recognized by allergen-presenting cells. Here is the latest research on allergy and asthma.

Allergies & Environmental Factors

Environmental factors are strongly associated with the prevalence of allergies and are an increasing health concern worldwide. Discover the latest research on Allergies and Environmental Factors here.

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis

Related Papers

The New Zealand Medical Journal
P E HolstP T Sutthoff
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology : Official Publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
Ignacio IbarrolaJuan A Asturias
Clinical and Experimental Allergy : Journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
T Z MitakakisG B Marks
Revista alergia Mexico : organo oficial de la Sociedad Mexicana de Alergia e Inmunología, A.C
R García CaballeroB Morfin Maciel
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved