title: Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a mild immunocompromised host.
abstract: Aspergillus tracheobronchitis is a form of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in which the Aspergillus infection is limited predominantly to the tracheobronchial tree. It occurs primarily in severely immunocompromised patients such as lung transplant recipients. Here, we report a case of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a 42-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, who presented with intractable cough, lack of expectoration of sputum, and chest discomfort. The patient did not respond to conventional treatment with antibiotics and antitussive agents, and he underwent bronchoscopy that showed multiple, discrete, gelatinous whitish plaques mainly involving the trachea and the left bronchus. On the basis of the bronchoscopic and microbiologic findings, we made the diagnosis of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis and initiated antifungal therapy. He showed gradual improvement in his symptoms and continued taking oral itraconazole for 6 months. Physicians should consider Aspergillus tracheobronchitis as a probable diagnosis in immunocompromised patients presenting with atypical respiratory symptoms and should try to establish a prompt diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Ha
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Youngmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ok-Jun
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: You-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Kang Hyeon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Man
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: An
keywords: Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary; Itraconazole; ronchoscopy