Disseminated coccidioidomycosis detected by percutaneous liver biopsy in a liver transplant recipient.

ABSTRACT

The authors report the first case, to their knowledge, of disseminated coccidioidomycosis occurring in a liver transplant recipient. The case is also interesting in that the diagnosis of disseminated coccidioidomycosis was made fortuitously, only after finding the characteristic endosporulating spherules on a percutaneous liver biopsy. In addition, the authors reviewed the literature on post-transplant infection with particular emphasis on fungal pathogens. All studies concurred that Candida species was the most prevalent infecting fungal organism when both localized and disseminated forms of infection are included. Aspergillus was the second most common offender, and disseminated infection was associated with a very grave prognosis for the transplant recipient. Rare infections with Mucor and Cryptococcus neoformans are described in the literature.