title: Corynebacterium ulcerans infection of the lung mimicking the histology of Churg-Strauss syndrome.
abstract: We report the first case of pulmonary Corynebacterium ulcerans infection mimicking Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). Productive cough, fever, general fatigue, and weight loss developed in a 50-year-old man. Laboratory data revealed prominent eosinophilia and elevated serum IgE. On chest images, multiple nodules and cavities were predominantly detected in the right lung. Histopathologic examination showed necrotizing granulomas and vasculitis with massive eosinophilic infiltration identical to the findings seen in CSS; however, clusters of Gram-positive, coryneform rods were observed in the alveolar spaces. A toxigenic strain of C ulcerans was isolated from lung tissue. The patient was treated with antibiotics, and a favorable clinical course ensued.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Disease, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan. nureki@med.oita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nureki
authors.forename: Eishi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Kiyofumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohkusu
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ezaki
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014741:Video Recording