Survival of a patient with pulmonary Cunninghamella bertholletiae infection without surgical intervention.
Mucormycosis is an uncommon fungal infection, which generally develops in immunosuppressed hosts. In particular, pulmonary infection by Cunninghamella bertholletiae, a rare species of Mucor, is characterized by invasiveness and high mortality. Herein a case of pulmonary mucormycosis due to C. bertholletiae in a female patient with chronic renal insufficiency, secondary to microscopic polyarteritis, is reported. The patient survived after successful treatment with a cumulative dose of 1508 mg of amphotericin B, phased reduction of glucocorticoid therapy and chest tube drainage of a pneumothorax, without the necessity for surgical intervention. This case demonstrates that conservative therapy may be effective in patients for whom surgical intervention is not an option.
Koyama
Nobuyuki
N
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan. nkoyama@saitama-med.ac.jp
Nagata
Makoto
M
Hagiwara
Koichi
K
Kanazawa
Minoru
M
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015505:Chest Tubes; D020093:Cunninghamella; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000628:therapy*
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids