# Aureobasidium Melanogenum as an Uncommon Pathogen Causing Skin and Soft Tissue Infection: A Case Report and Literature Review

## TL;DR

A rare fungus called Aureobasidium melanogenum caused a skin infection in a healthy person, showing it can affect more people than previously thought.

## Contribution

This is the first reported case of A. melanogenum causing infection in an immunocompetent individual.

## Key findings

- A. melanogenum was identified as the cause of skin and soft tissue infection in an immunocompetent patient.
- The infection was successfully treated with intravenous micafungin over two weeks.
- The case suggests A. melanogenum should be considered in community-acquired infections, not just in immunocompromised individuals.

## Abstract

Aureobasidium melanogenum is an emerging pathogen of growing importance in medical literature. It is a dematiaceous fungus with a propensity to cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts. However, we present a case of an immunocompetent patient who developed a skin and soft-tissue infection caused by A. melanogenum. The pathogen was identified at a reference laboratory at the University of Texas (UT), San Antonio, Texas, using phenotypic and DNA sequencing techniques. The patient was successfully treated with a two-week course of intravenous micafungin. This case highlights the need to recognize such emerging organisms as potential causes for common community-acquired infections requiring prompt treatment rather than considering them as potential environmental contaminants.