Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
BACKGROUND
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis usually occurs in immunocompromised patients. Mild abnormality of host defence is usually present in the chronic necrotising form of the disease. Acute aspergillus pneumonia usually affects patients who are seriously immunocompromised.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to highlight the possibility of occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis also in patients with mild abnormality of host defence.


METHODS
In a retrospective study 6 patients were analysed. The inclusion criterion was evidence of Aspergillus sp. invasion in lung tissue. Lung tissue was obtained by biopsy or post mortem examination.


RESULTS
There were 4 patients with acute aspergillus pneumonia. Two of them were severely immunocompromised - one with dermatomyositis, who was treated with high doses of corticosteroids and methotrexate, and the other with undiscovered miliary tuberculosis, who was treated for myelodysplastic syndrome instead with low doses of corticosteroids. The other 2 had mild immunosuppression: one was suffering from sarcoidosis and was treated with low doses of corticosteroids, the other had dilated cardiomyopathy, renal insufficiency and diabetes mellitus. The two patients with chronic necrotising pulmonary aspergillosis had mild abnormality of host defence: one had reactivation of tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus, the other had inactive tuberculosis and aspergilloma.


CONCLUSIONS
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis must be considered also in patients with mild immunosuppression and pulmonary infiltrates which do not respond to conventional treatment with antibiotic chemotherapy. The key to the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is the histopathological demonstration of fungal invasion in lung tissue.
Kristan
Sabina Skrgat
SS
University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Golnik, Slovenia.
Kern
Izidor
I
Music
Ema
E
D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies