title: [Invasive aspergillosis in patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus].
abstract: Invasive aspergillosis is a disease that affects immunosuppressed patients, in close relationship with the presence and duration of neutropenia. Although formerly included among the AIDS definition criteria, it was thereafter dropped out because of its very low prevalence. We describe here four cases of invasive aspergillosis in HIV infected patients, diagnosed at our institution. Three patients presented with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, including one patient with chronic ulcerative pulmonary aspergillosis. The fourth patient developed aspergillosis of the brain. Taking into account the difficulties in establishing a diagnosis of this infection before death (most of published cases were from autopsy reports) and because of the paramount importance of early diagnosis for improving survival, we support the use of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis diagnostic criteria in a similar way as used in patients suffering lymphoproliferative disorders. Although classic treatment of this infection is based on the use of amphotericin B (with or without 5 fluorocytosine), the potential usefulness of itraconazole (a new imidazole drug) has to be considered. In spite of the low number of published cases, we believe that invasive aspergillosis among HIV infected patients has to be included as a likely diagnosis, specially in view of the prolonged survival and widespread use of cancer chemotherapy in this population.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Nuestra señora de Aránzazu, San Sebastián.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Arrondo
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Iribarren
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arrizabalaga
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Grocin
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: von Wichmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
vernacular_title: Aspergilosis invasiva en pacientes infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.