Microbiological Identification of Dermatophilus congolensis in a Rare South Korean Case of Human Dermatophilosis

Human infection with Dermatophilus congolensis is an extremely rare zoonosis. This study aimed to report a case of a 30-year-old healthy urban man with refractory, linear, and crusted lesions on the face and left arm following a minor trauma. The diagnosis was confirmed via microbiological culture and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Notably, the organism showed optimal growth only at a temperature of 37℃, whereas growth at a temperature of 30℃ was insignificant, suggesting a potential diagnostic pitfall. The patient was successfully treated with oral doxycycline. The findings of this study suggest the importance of considering D. congolensis in dermatitis unresponsive to empirical therapy and emphasize the diagnostic value of incubation at a temperature of 37℃ and MALDI-TOF MS.