A rare infectious disease caused by inhalation of the opportunistic fungus <i>aspergillus</i> that can lead to the following manifestations: allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), aspergilloma, chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA), and invasive aspergillosis (IA). Aspergilloma occurs in patients with cavitary lung disease and results in a fungal mass with variable clinical presentations from asymptomatic to life-threatening (massive hemoptysis). CNPA manifests as subacute pneumonia in patients with underlying disease. IA is disseminated aspergillosis that eventually invades other organs. Cutaneous aspergillosis is usually the dermatological manifestation of IA that manifests as erythematous-to-violaceous plaques or papules, often characterized by a central necrotic ulcer or eschar.
Case of pseudomembranous necrotizing tracheobronchial aspergillosis in an immunocompetent host.
Oh HJ, Kim HR, Hwang KE, Kim SY, Ahn SH, Yang SH, Jeong ET. Korean J Intern Med. 2006;21(4):279-82.
To the best of our knowledge, this case represents a patient with pseudomembranous necrotizing tracheobronchial aspergillosis that developed in an immunocompetent host, rapidly resulting in airway obstruction with acute respiratory failure and refractory hypoxemia without an invasion of the pulmonary parenchyma.
