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Lung mass caused by Phoma exigua

Evangelos Balis1, Aristea Velegraki, Archodula Fragou

  • 1Third Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Athens, Sotiria General and Chest Hospital, Athens, Greece. evanbalis@yahoo.co.uk

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|June 27, 2006
PubMed

Insights

A fatal Phoma exigua lung infection occurred in an acute myeloid leukemia patient with diabetes. Diagnosis required a multidisciplinary approach, including a new PCR assay for rare fungal pathogen detection.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Rare fungal infections pose diagnostic challenges, particularly in immunocompromised patients.
  • Phoma exigua is an uncommon fungal pathogen, rarely implicated in human disease.
  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and diabetes mellitus are significant risk factors for opportunistic infections.

Observation:

  • A documented case of fatal Phoma exigua lung infection is presented.
  • The patient had a history of acute myeloid leukemia and diabetes mellitus.
  • Clinical, histological, and microbiological data were meticulously collected.

Findings:

  • The Phoma exigua infection was confirmed through histology and fungal culture.
  • A novel Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay was developed to detect P. exigua DNA in lung biopsy samples.
  • The PCR assay demonstrated utility in identifying the rare fungal pathogen.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering rare fungal pathogens in immunocompromised individuals.
  • The developed PCR assay offers a potential tool for rapid and accurate diagnosis of P. exigua infections.
  • A multidisciplinary diagnostic approach, integrating clinical, mycological, histopathological, and radiological findings, is crucial for confirming rare fungal infections.

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