Paecilomyces lilacinus Septic Olecranon Bursitis in an Immunocompetent Host

Paecilomyces lilacinus is a filamentous fungus that is a rare cause of infection in immunocompromised human hosts. We present a case of P lilacinus septic olecranon bursitis in an otherwise healthy 78-year-old male. This patient’s case was complicated by wound breakdown after bursectomy and appropriate anti-fungal treatment, requiring a local soft tissue rearrangement.

This case demonstrates the need for appropriate and timely medical and surgical treatment in infec­tions involving P lilacinus, which are not isolated solely to systemically immunocompromised and medically-ill patient populations. In cases where the patient is sys­temically immumocompromised or has been rendered locally immunocompromised, it is essential to obtain a full culture work-up, including fungi.