Infección pulmonar por Arthrographis kalrae en un paciente con enfermedad granulomatosa crónica / Pulmonary infection by Arthrographis kalrae in patient with chronic granulomatous disease

Antecedentes: Arthrographis kalrae es un hongo hialino de crecimiento lento que, en su desarrollo, forma artroconidios. Es un patógeno oportunista que causa infecciones en personas inmunocomprometidas e inmunocompetentes, y ha sido aislado muy raramente en muestras clínicas de seres humanos. Caso clínico: Se describe el caso de un paciente con inmunodeficiencia primaria y afectación pulmonar con evolución tórpida. Presentó compromiso de ambos pulmones a pesar del tratamiento antibiótico y antifúngico instaurado. Durante su seguimiento, se realizaron múltiples biopsias pulmonares y se aisló A. kalrae en el cultivo de tejido pulmonar. Recibió tratamiento con posaconazol, con buena respuesta y remisión de las lesiones. Conclusión: Este es el primer caso reportado de infección pulmonar por A. kalrae en un paciente pediátrico con enfermedad granulomatosa crónica en Argentina.

Background: Arthrographis kalrae is a hyaline fungus that grows forming arthroconidia. It is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infections in immunocompromised as in immunocompetent people and has been rarely isolated from human clinical samples. Case report: We describe the case of a male child with primary immunodeficiency who initially presented unilateral pneumonia and progressed to bilateral involvement despite antibiotic, antifungal treatment. A. kalrae was diagnosed by pulmonary biopsy. He received posaconazole with resolution of disease. Conclusions: This is the first case of A. kalrae pulmonary infection in a pediatric patient with chronic granulomatous disease in Argentina.

A propósito de un caso: micosis pulmonar en paciente pediátrico con enfermedad granulomatosa crónica / Case report: pulmonary mycosis in children with chronic granulomatous diseaseSE

A 8-year-old girl, born and resident of Guárico state, was referred to our Department because of a history of recurrent pneumonia and a history of deceased sister by unspecified lung disease. At the age of 4 years she had suffered several episodes of pneumonia requiring hospitalization. These episodes were no-responsive to antibiotic therapy and treatment for tuberculosis. Subsequently, At the age of 8 years she was hospitalized again for an episode of left lower lobe pneumonia that did not improve. Studies were performed to rule out pulmonary pathology disease: Cystic Fibrosis was discarded and also Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Serology for HIV and Fungi were negative. Because serological studies were inconclusive, a videobronchoscopy plus Bronchoalveolar lavage and lung tissue biopsy were performed, which reported bronchitis and chronic granulomatous and caseous necrosis. Special stains were observed that suggest fungus infection. Primary immunodeficiency was suspected in the patient, because the presence of recurrent pneumonia of different etiologies. The presence of the granuloma observed by the videobronchoscopy. A positive culture for Histoplasma and Aspergillus fungi, and the result of the oxidative capacity test, where the deficiency was observed in the microbicidal activity of macrophages. They were strong evidence that corroborated the immunodeficiency called Chronic Granulomatous Disease.

Escolar femenino de 8 años de edad, natural y procedente del Estado Guárico, con antecedente de hospitalizaciones por neumonías recurrente desde los 4, recibió antibioticoterapia endovenosa y cumplió tratamiento antifímico en dos oportunidades, persistiendo con sintomatología respiratoria. A los 8 años precisó nueva hospitalización por diagnóstico de neumonía del lóbulo inferior izquierdo. Por no presentar mejoría y antecedente de hermana fallecida por patología pulmonar no precisada fue referida a nuestro centro. Se realizaron estudios por patología pulmonar crónica: se descartó Fibrosis Quística y Tuberculosis Pulmonar. Serología para HIV y Hongos Negativa. Por no ser concluyentes los estudios serológicos se realizó Videobroncoscopia más lavado y biopsia, la cual reportó bronquitis crónica granulomatosa y necrosis caseosa. Coloraciones especiales: hongos intracitoplasmáticos sugestivos de Histoplasma Sp. y en el cultivo presentó crecimiento de Aspergillus fumigatus. Ante la presencia de paciente con neumonía recurrente por diferentes etiologías se sospechó la presencia de Inmunodeficiencia Primaria, planteando en base al reporte de la videobroncoscopia de granuloma y la confirmación de Infección por Histoplasma y Aspergillus una Enfermedad Granulomatosa Crónica que fue documentada al medir la deficiencia en la actividad microbicida dependiente de oxigeno evaluada a través del Test de Capacidad Oxidativa.

Bola fúngica por Aspergillus fumigatus em cavidade pleural / Aspergillus fumigatus fungus ball in the pleural cavity

OBJETIVO: Relatar os casos de 6 pacientes com bola fúngica (BF) na cavidade pleural por Aspergillus fumigatus. MÉTODOS: Entre 1980 e 2009, foram diagnosticados 391 pacientes com BF aspergilar no Complexo Hospitalar Santa Casa de Porto Alegre (RS). O diagnóstico de BF na cavidade pleural foi definido com exames de imagem demonstrando derrame e espessamento pleural com nível líquido; exame micológico direto demonstrando hifas septadas, consistentes com Aspergillus sp.; e cultura positiva para A. fumigatus no espécime cirúrgico da cavidade pleural. RESULTADOS: Dos 391 pacientes estudados, 6 (2 por cento) preencheram os critérios diagnósticos estabelecidos. A média de idade desses 6 pacientes foi de 48 anos (variação, 29-66 anos), e 5 (83 por cento) eram do sexo masculino. As queixas mais frequentes dos pacientes foram tosse, expectoração e hemoptise. Quatro (67 por cento) dos pacientes tinham tuberculose curada. Todos os pacientes realizaram remoção cirúrgica da colonização fúngica, e houve infusão intrapleural com anfotericina B em 4; e 2 pacientes receberam tratamento antifúngico sistêmico v.o. Cinco pacientes melhoraram clinicamente, e um foi a óbito após a cirurgia. CONCLUSÕES: Em pacientes adultos com história de doença pulmonar cavitária ou fístula pleural, deve-se realizar uma investigação criteriosa levando em consideração a infecção fúngica, principalmente BF pulmonar. Portanto, a exploração laboratorial torna-se mais eficiente em relação aos recursos disponíveis para elucidação diagnóstica.

OBJECTIVE: To report the cases of 6 patients with fungus ball caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (aspergilloma) in the pleural cavity. METHODS: Between 1980 and 2009, 391 patients were diagnosed with aspergilloma at the Santa Casa Hospital Complex in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The diagnosis of aspergilloma in the pleural cavity was made through imaging tests revealing effusion and pleural thickening with air-fluid level; direct mycological examination revealing septate hyphae, consistent with Aspergillus sp.; and positive culture for A. fumigatus in the surgical specimen from the pleural cavity. RESULTS: Of the 391 patients studied, 6 (2 percent) met the established diagnostic criteria. The mean age of those 6 patients was 48 years (range, 29-66 years), and 5 (83 percent) were male. The most common complaints were cough, expectoration, and hemoptysis. Four patients (67 percent) had a history of tuberculosis that had been clinically cured. All of the patients were submitted to surgical removal of the aspergilloma, followed by intrapleural instillation of amphotericin B, in 4; and 2 received systemic antifungal treatment p.o. There was clinical improvement in 5 patients, and 1 died after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In adult patients with a history of cavitary lung disease or pleural fistula, a careful investigation should be carried out and fungal infection, especially aspergilloma, should be taken into consideration. In such cases, laboratory testing represents the most efficient use of the resources available to elucidate the diagnosis.

Clinical and evolutionary characteristics of four patients with pulmonary histoplasmosis reported in the Paraíba Paulista Valley region / Características clínicas evolutivas de quatro pacientes com histoplasmose pulmonar encontrado na região do Vale do Paraíba

The type of pulmonary histoplasmosis presents limited lesions to the lungs, with symptoms that are clinically and radiological similar to chronic pulmonary tuberculosis. This paper describes the clinical features of four cases of pulmonary histoplasmosis. Aspects of diagnostic and clinical, epidemiological, laboratorial and imaging exams are discussed, in addition to the clinical status of the individuals five years after disease onset. The treatment of choice was oral medication, following which all the patients improved. It is important to understand the clinical status and the difficulties concerning the differential diagnosis of histoplasmosis, to assist the proper indication of cases, thus reducing potential confusion with other diseases.

A histoplasmose do tipo pulmonar apresenta lesões limitadas aos pulmões, cujos sintomas são clínica e radiologicamente similares à tuberculose pulmonar crônica. Esse trabalho descreve as características clínicas de quatro casos de histoplasmose. Os aspectos do diagnósticos clínicos, epidemiológicos, laboratoriais e exames de imagem são relacionados, além da situação clínica dos indivíduos, 5 após o início da doença. O tratamento de escolha foi atravésde medicação oral, aonde todos os pacientes evoluíram bem. É importante conhecer o quadro clínico e da dificuldade em diagnosticar a histoplasmose para ajudar a conduzir as boas indicações dos casos, reduzindo assim o malentendido com outras entidades patológicas.

Histoplasmose: [revisão] / Histoplasmosis: [review]

A histoplasmose é uma micose causada por fungo dimórfico, o Histoplasma capsulatum. É considerada classicamente uma micose endêmica, embora o fungo tenha um comportamento oportunístico em pacientes com depressão da imunidade celular. O homem adquire a infecção através da inalação de conídeos presentes na natureza (cavernas com morcegos, galinheiros, etc). O quadro clínico pode variar, desde infecções assintomáticas até quadros graves disseminados, que acometem pacientes com Aids, transplantados ou com neoplasias hematológicas. O diagnóstico baseia-se no encontro do fungo em fluidos orgânicos (escarro, sangue, líquor) ou tecidos (histopatologia), na cultura de materiais biológicos e na sorologia. O tratamento das formas agudas graves, respiratória crônica ou de formas localizadas pode ser feito com azólicos orais (itraconazol) e nas disseminadas, a Anfotericina B (preferencialmente as formulações lipídicas) constitui a droga da eleição para iniciar a terapia. A histoplasmose representa, hoje uma das micoses sistêmicas mais importantes nas Américas, com ampla distribuição em todas as regiões do Brasil.

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. It is classically considered an endemic mycosis, even though the fungus has an opportunistic behavior in immunocompromised patients. People acquired the infection through the inhalation of conidial forms present in the environmental, such as caves dwelling bats and soils inhabited by chickens. The clinical features may vary from asymptomatic infections to disseminated severe forms that affect patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or hematological malignancies and allograft recipients. The diagnosis is based on the detection of the fungus in organic fluids (sputum, blood, liquor) or tissues (histopathological assays), in the culture of biological samples and serological assays. The treatment of severe chronic respiratory acute or localized forms can be performed with oral azolic (itraconazol) and in the disseminated forms, the amphotericin B (preferentially the lipidic formulations) consists in the elected drug to initiate the therapy. Nowadays, histoplasmosis represents one of the most important systemic mycosis in the Americas, with broad distribution in all regions of Brazil.