Trichosporon cholangitis associated with hyperbilirubinemia, and findings suggesting primary sclerosing cholangitis on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

ABSTRACT

Usually, ascending cholangitis is a bacterial process. However, in the debilitated or immunocompromised patient, mycotic cholangitis must be placed in the differential diagnosis. We report a patient with cryptogenic cirrhosis whose presenting problem in his terminal hospitalization was spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, for which he was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram was performed during the hospital course to explain his profound hyperbilirubinemia. The findings were grossly consistent with primary sclerosing cholangitis or cholangiocarcinoma. The patient subsequently continued to deteriorate, and died with hepatic and renal failure. At autopsy, he was found to have choledocholithiasis, marked biliary duct proliferation, and ascending cholangitis, with Trichosporon demonstrated histologically to be invading the bile ducts. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Trichosporon cholangitis.