Scopulariopsis is an airborne ubiquitous genus of nondermatophyte saprophytic fungi. Eight species of Scopulariopsis have been reported to cause human disease, 5 of which cause only onychomycosis (Scopulariopsis being the agent for 1%-10% of all onychomycosis cases). Most reported cases of localized cutaneous and systemic disease are caused by Scopulariopsis brevicaulis.

Scopulariopsis is generally not considered a pathogen, but sporadic case reports document infection of the skin, eyes, ears, and deep tissues in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, presumably due to local implantation in sites of trauma or surgical injury. Disease is usually localized, but systemic infection has been seen in immunocompromised hosts (HIV infection, bone marrow and liver transplants, leukemia, lymphoma, and chronic granulomatous disease).

Patients with localized disease are often asymptomatic. Systemic infection has presented as pneumonia, mastoiditis, sinusitis, brain abscess, and prosthetic valve endocarditis – sometimes with concomitant skin lesions. Disseminated disease is often fatal.