Successful treatment of Xylohypha bantiana brain abscess mimicking invasive cerebral aspergillosis in a liver transplant recipient.
Invasive aspergillosis is a highly lethal disease in immunocompromised hosts especially with central nervous system involvement. In a review of 2380 liver transplants performed over 14 years, 13 out of 15 fungal brain abscesses were due to Aspergillus species and only one patient survived [Arch Surg, 132 (1997) 304]. Dematiaceous fungi while less readily recognised, often have a more favorable outcome [Transplantation, 63 (1997) 160]. We report a Xylophypha bantiana cerebral abscess in a liver transplant recipient initially identified as a branching mould on histology that had a successful outcome due to aggressive appropriate treatment.
Lee
Y M
YM
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore 119074. mdcleeym@nus.edu.sg
Tambyah
P A
PA
Lee
K H
KH
Tan
K C
KC
Lim
S G
SG
D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*
D000935:Antifungal Agents