Aspergillosis in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ABSTRACT

A case is described of a three year old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) who presented initially with aspergillosis of the nasophgillosis of the nasopharynx. Fungal infection with Aspergillus species is not uncommon in immunosuppressed children, but this case is noteworthy in that the disease presented at the onset of therapy rather than during the phase of treatment with maximum immunosuppression following chemotherapy. This type of infection is usually associated with the treatment of acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemais (AMS) rather than ALL, and prolonged periods of neutropenia which results from aggressive treatment. This patient responded rapidly to treatment with amphotericin B, coincident with resolution of his neutropenia as the underlying disease was treated, eventually eradicating the fungus (AU)