title: Invasive aspergillosis in association with criminal arsenic poisoning.
abstract: A 26-year-old man suffered acute arsenic poisoning after a poisoning attempt. He developed multiple organ failure including encephalopathy, bleeding disorders, pancreatitis, renal and hepatocellular impairment. Generalized erythroderma also developed within one week after admission. The developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from the endotracheal aspirate. Despite intensive care support, antidote administration and various epuration techniques, the patient died on day 26 from subarachnoid bleeding. An autopsy was obtained and the concentration of arsenic was determined in different tissues. Multiple abscesses due to Aspergillus fumigatus were seen in the lungs, myocardium and kidneys. This uncommon complication in a previously immunocompetent patient could be related to impaired immunity directly caused by arsenic poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Cliniques St-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parent
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hantson
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haufroid
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Heilier
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mahieu
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonbled
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male