title: Fatal myocardial aspergillosis in an immunosuppressed child.
abstract: A girl with resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) had a stem cell transplantation. Preceding transplantation, she had recurrent pneumonitis. No causative agent was identified. Despite several antibiotics including high-dose liposomal amphotericin-B, pulmonary infection progressed. Aspergillosis, always considered, could not be documented. She died from cardiac arrest on the second day after transplantation, with no forewarning of previous heart disease. Pericardial and myocardial aspergillosis was an autopsy finding. Pericardial and myocardial aspergillosis, rare manifestations of systemic aspergillosis, should be considered in any immunocompromised patient with long-lasting pulmonary infection, even in the absence of specific cardiac findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Cantonal Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland. ayse.h.ozsahin@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozsahin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wacker
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brundler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Starobinski
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helg
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miralbell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanquinet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gervaix
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chapuis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Humbert
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B