Fluconazole and fire needle therapy to treat chromoblastomycosis: a case report and literature review

Chromoblastomycosis (CBM), a chronic subcutaneous infection caused by traumatic inoculation of a dematiaceous fungus, may be associated with severe morbidity and is difficult to treat. We report here the case of CBM in a 67-year-old male who presented to our institution with a 4-month history of skin lesions on the dorsum of the right hand. He was treated with a combination of fluconazole and fire needle therapy (acupuncture using red-hot needles) to eradicate lesions. The lesions resolved after 2 months of treatment and he had no further relapses. We also review the treatment of CBM in the literature. Further studies are needed to determine if this combination of fluconazole combined with fire needle therapy may be a possible treatment option for CBM.