title: Bipolaris spicifera causes fungus balls of the sinuses and triggers polypoid chronic rhinosinusitis in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: We report the rare case of a 19-year-old immunocompetent male suffering both from fungus balls of the sinuses and from chronic rhinosinusitis with massive polyposis. Endoscopic sinus surgery revealed grayish brown necrotic masses embedded in viscous eosinophilic mucus. Inoculated onto petri dishes, these masses as well as the mucus grew a dark pigmented fungus, which was identified as Bipolaris spicifera.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical School, Graz, Austria. walter.buzina@uni-graz.at
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Buzina
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schimpl
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stammberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011127:Polyps; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology