Aspergillus thyroiditis in a living donor liver transplant recipient

Aspergillosis is increasingly recognized as an important nosocomial pathogen in immunocompromised patients. Infection is difficult to diagnose and typically has a fatal outcome. We describe a liver transplant patient with fulminant hepatic failure, who had persistent fever of undetected origin postoperatively and an increased (1-3)-beta-d glucan level. Gallium-67 citrate scanning showed abnormal uptake in the thyroid bilaterally. Fine needle biopsy of the thyroid revealed thyroidal invasion of Aspergillosis. Total thyroidectomy was performed and the C reactive protein level decreased to 1.01 mg/dl. The patient died of liver sepsis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (1-3)-beta-d Glucan monitoring and systematic radionuclide images are useful modalities for early diagnosis of Aspergillosis.