Related Experiment Videos
Pulmonary Aspergillus colonization in humans and its impact on management of critically ill patients
C Lass-Flörl1, G M Salzer, T Schmid
1Department of Hygiene, Innsbruck University, Austria. cornelia.lass-flörl@uibk.ac.at
Abstract:
Samples of lung tissues were obtained and analysed for Aspergillus carriage in 56 patients undergoing thoracic surgical intervention and 18 people who had an unexpected death. Out of 74 samples, 46 (63%) had evidence of pulmonary fungal colonization. The surgery population had a rate of 62% of fungal growth. Aspergillus was present in 39%. The autopsy population had a rate of 61% of fungal colonization. Aspergillus was present in 41%. In these cases eradication of fungal spores residing in the lung prior to aggressive chemotherapy and prevention of further spore uptake during hospitalization is indispensable in preventing pulmonary aspergillosis.
Insights
Pulmonary fungal colonization, including Aspergillus, was found in 63% of lung tissue samples. Eradicating fungal spores before chemotherapy is crucial for preventing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Pulmonary aspergillosis is a serious opportunistic infection.
- Fungal colonization of the lungs can precede invasive disease.
- Patients undergoing thoracic surgery and those with unexpected deaths represent distinct populations for studying lung fungal carriage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of fungal colonization, specifically Aspergillus, in lung tissues from patients undergoing thoracic surgery and in autopsy samples.
- To assess the significance of pre-existing fungal carriage in the context of potential pulmonary aspergillosis development.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of lung tissue samples from 56 patients undergoing thoracic surgery.
- Analysis of lung tissue samples from 18 individuals from an autopsy population.
- Microbiological assessment for fungal growth and identification of Aspergillus species.
Main Results:
- Overall, 63% of the 74 lung tissue samples showed evidence of pulmonary fungal colonization.
- Fungal growth was detected in 62% of the surgery patient samples, with Aspergillus present in 39%.
- In the autopsy population, 61% had fungal colonization, and Aspergillus was identified in 41% of cases.
Conclusions:
- Pulmonary fungal colonization is prevalent in both surgical and autopsy lung tissue samples.
- The findings underscore the necessity of eradicating resident fungal spores before initiating aggressive chemotherapy.
- Preventing further fungal spore uptake during hospitalization is essential for mitigating the risk of pulmonary aspergillosis.