Prototheca wickerhamii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Prototheca wickerhamii | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Viridiplantae |
| Phylum: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Trebouxiophyceae |
| Order: | Chlorellales |
| Family: | Chlorellaceae |
| Genus: | Prototheca |
| Species: | P. wickerhamii |
| Binomial name | |
| Prototheca wickerhamii | |
Prototheca wickerhamii is a ubiquitous alga that does not have chlorophyll. It is widely present in the environment and is a rare cause of infection in humans (protothecosis), which most commonly presents as nodules of the skin.[1] Most cases reported have a suppressed immune system (from drugs or disease).
Identification
Diagnosis can be made through culture of infected fluid in Sabouraud dextrose agar or by visualization of sporangia containing sporangiospores on tissue biopsy (using hematoxylin/eosin, GMS, or PAS histochemical stains).
Antimicrobial therapy
Treatment is not standardized. Amphotericin B, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole have all been tried.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Curbelo A & Pankey GA (2009). "A man presenting with nodules on hands and elbows". Clin Infect Dis 48 (8): 1160–1161. doi:10.1086/597466. PMID 19292636.
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