title: Fatal Aspergillus flavus infection in a neonate.
abstract: Aspergillosis is an uncommon perinatal infection diagnosed with increasing frequency in recent years. We report a premature infant who required both nutrition and ventilation artificially assisted and developed a disseminated invasive nosocomial infection from Aspergillus flavus. Autopsy revealed marked hypotrophy of the thymus and multisystem invasive aspergillosis chiefly involving the vascular and alimentary systems and also the respiratory tract, the central nervous system, and the skin. From what we know, this is the first case of the literature with a misleading initial clinical presentation involving the alimentary tract (hepatomegaly, ingravescent cholestatic icterus) and evolving in intestinal occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Services, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Section of Pathology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via del Pozzo n.71, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roncati
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbolini
authors.forename: Rita Adriana
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivasi
mesh_terms: D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult