Primary cutaneous coccidiodomycosis: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Coccidiodomycosis is a systemic infection caused by Coccidioides immitis, a dimorphic fungus endemic in the south of the USA and the north of Mexico. The disease usually affects the lungs. Primary cutaneous infection is extremely rare. We present a report of a patient with primary cutaneous infection located on the nose. To our knowledge, such a presentation has never previously been reported in the literature. OBSERVATIONS: The patient had a 3-cm-diameter elevated nodule with a verrucous aspect located on the tip of her nose. The histopathologic features of the lesion were consistent with coccidioidomycosis. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of primary cutaneous coccidioidomycosis located on the tip of nose.