Pulmonary amoebiasis presenting as superior vena cava syndrome.
Pulmonary amoebiasis without liver involvement occurs sporadically as a result of haematogenous spread from a primary site, the colon. The case history is presented of a patient who developed superior vena cava syndrome due to a pulmonary amoebic abscess without liver involvement. He was initially suspected of having a neoplasm but a combination of tests including histological examination of the H&E stained excised tissue, immunofluorescence using anti-Entamoeba histolytica antibodies, and serology confirmed the diagnosis of amoebiasis. To our knowledge this is the first description of pulmonary amoebiasis presenting as superior vena cava syndrome.
Lichtenstein
A
A
Department of Medicine, São Paulo University Medical School, Brazil.
Kondo
A T
AT
Visvesvara
G S
GS
Fernandez
A
A
Paiva
E F
EF
Mauad
T
T
Dolhnikoff
M
M
Martins
M A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000150:complications*; D000818:Animals; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000469:parasitology; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica; D006801:Humans; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000469:parasitology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods