Chronic granulomatous lung infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Emmonsia sp.
A 64-year old farmer developed cough, dyspnoea on exertion, and recurrent febrile episodes. X-ray and CT scan revealed bilateral lower lobe opacities in his lungs. A transbronchial biopsy was performed and histopathological findings were interpreted as consistent with a pulmonary necrotizing clear-cell carcinoma and later as a Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Due to persistence of symptoms, six months later another lung biopsy was performed and a mould was cultured which was identified by 18S rDNA sequencing as Emmonsia sp. The patient showed some improvement under itraconazole treatment. This is the first description of a human infection with Emmonsia sp. in Germany.
Wellinghausen
Nele
N
Department of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. nele.wellinghausen@medizin.uni-ulm.de
Kern
Winfried V
WV
Haase
Gerhard
G
Rozdzinski
Eva
E
Kern
Peter
P
Marre
Reinhard
R
Essig
Andreas
A
Hetzel
Jürgen
J
Hetzel
Martin
M
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002912:Chrysosporium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D006105:Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D017964:Itraconazole