Pulmonary coccidioidomycosis that formed a fungus ball with 8-years duration.
Coccidioidomycosis, caused by inhaling Coccidioides immitis, is a mycosis imported from endemic regions including the southwestern United States. C. immitis is so virulent that even a short-term stay in the endemic area can provide a chance for infection. Here, we report a 33-year-old Japanese man with formation of a fungus ball inside the pulmonary cavity secondary to coccidioidomycosis with a duration of 8 years, which is considered rare. He was infected with C. immitis in the United States in 1996. A nodule remained in the lung, which later cavitated with fungus ball formation. We identified Coccidioides immitis in the cultured specimen from the cavity and serum antibodies against it. We performed a lobectomy in 2003 since anti-fungal treatment was only temporarily effective. He is still free of disease 6 months later.
Osaki
Tadashi
T
Department of Molecular Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871.
Morishita
Hiroshi
H
Maeda
Hajime
H
Kamei
Katsuhiko
K
Hoshino
Shigenori
S
Kijima
Takashi
T
Kumagai
Toru
T
Yoshida
Mitsuhiro
M
Tachibana
Isao
I
Kawase
Ichiro
I
D000328:Adult; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003045:Coccidioides / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000935:Antifungal Agents