title: Aetiological factors contributing to the development of primary laryngeal aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients.
abstract: Primary laryngeal aspergillosis is extremely rare, especially in an immunocompetent host. It is commonly found as part of a systemic infection involving the respiratory system in immunocompromised people. Two cases of laryngeal aspergillosis with no systemic extension and no generalized immune deficiency are presented here. We report what is to the best of our knowledge only the second case of Aspergillus infection in a vocal cord cyst. Aspergillus species were identified in tissue sections and confirmed by PCR studies. We present a literature review of laryngeal aspergillosis cases and discuss predisposing factors, clinical presentation, histopathology, PCR, diagnosis and treatment of Aspergillus laryngitis. The known aetiological causes of the disease are increasing and include iatrogenic factors, vocal abuse, vocal-fold cysts and occupational factors, and immunocompetent patients are susceptible to these predisposing factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong-Cai
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, PR China.
authors.forename: Shui-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, PR China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015984:Causality; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008853:Microscopy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal