ABSTRACT
Chromomycosis is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by dematiaceous fungi, and is characterized clinically by verrucous skin lesions with brown, spherical, thick-walled muriform cells (sclerotic cells). Dissemination from the skin lesions to regional lymph nodes or to internal organs via the blood stream occurs in rare instances. Though the term chromoblastomycosis is used in the texts by Conant et al. 1 and Rippon, 2 and chromomycosis is employed in the book by Emmons et al., 3 the terms are usually used synonymously. Ajello, 4 proposed that chromoblastomycosis, exhibiting sclerotic cells as the parasitic forms, should be distinguished from phaeohyphomycosis, showing hyphal elements in subcutaneous mycoses caused by dematiaceous fungi, and that the term chromomycosis should be eliminated.
