[Pulmonary aspergilloma caused by Aspergillus niger]

The authors present a case report of a 66 year old male that was admitted due to pulmonary lesions with cavitation localized in the upper left lobe. In the cavity an abnormal mass could be seen. In the differential diagnosis malignancy and tuberculosis were excluded. Fungi were cultured from the bronchial washings and sputum. Their morphological characteristics allowed them to be typed as Aspergillus niger. Slides from the thick, mucoid, black sputum demonstrated typical forms of the fungus. Polarized microscopy demonstrated calcium oxalate crystals. The final diagnosis was pulmonary aspergilloma caused by A.niger complicating a pulmonary abscess in the course of a pneumonia.