50

Blastomycosis, or Gilchrist’s disease, is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by the dimorphic fungus, Blastomyces dermatitidis, which is endemic in North America and sporadic in Africa (rare cases have been described in Morocco). We present a case of cutaneous blastomycosis diagnosed in the parasitology–mycology laboratory of the Hassan II University Hospital in Fes. Observation: An 88-year-old diabetic patient undergoing treatment presented with warty lesions on the face and lower limbs with no associated signs. Mycological examination of a skin biopsy confirmed the presence of fresh-state B. dermatitidis on direct examination. An extension work-up, performed to look for visceral involvement, was negative. The patient was put on antifungal treatment with good clinical improvement. Discussion and conclusion: Blastomycosis is a rare systemic fungal infection in Morocco. The portal of entry is often pulmonary, and isolated cutaneous involvement is exceptional. Diagnosis is essentially anatomopathological, and mycological studies are useful in confirming the diagnosis.