CASE REPORT article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Microbial Immunology
Destructive Deep Infection of the Foot Caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum Leading to Great Toe Amputation
Huiyu Wang 1
Yiyun Xu 2,3
Hong Li 1
Ying Chen 1
Zuocai Wang 1
Zhenlong Shang 1
Menglan Zhou 2
YingChun Xu 2
1. Qionghai People’s Hospital, Qionghai, China
2. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
3. Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Abstract
We report an invasive deep-tissue infection caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum in a diabetic patient in China. Although typically a phytopathogen restricted to superficial human infections, it caused rapid necrosis necessitating hallux amputation. This case highlights the need for clinical awareness regarding the pathogenic potential of N. dimidiatum in immunocompromised hosts.
Summary
Keywords
dematiaceous mold, Diabetic foot infection, Invasive fungal infection, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, Toe amputation
Received
20 January 2026
Accepted
18 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Wang, Xu, Li, Chen, Wang, Shang, Zhou and Xu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Menglan Zhou; YingChun Xu
Disclaimer
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