[Bacterial infections in pulmonary aspergilloma]

28 cavernoscopies were carried out in 26 patients. Complete or partial removal of mycetomas was achieved in 18 patients with 20 caverns. Under aerobic conditions Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured from the 28 removed mycetomas in 22 cases (78.6%) and bacterial organisms in 20 (71.4%). Bacteria were isolated from mycetomas that had demonstrable A. fumigatus organisms as well as from those that did not have them. In all infected mycetomas Gram negative rods were cultured, in only 4 cases Gram (+) cocci were found. Only in two cases of mycetomas under anaerobic conditions Gram (+) cocci were cultured. In most patients the organism could be demonstrated in sputum as well as in mycetomas. In 18 patients the pathogenic organism disappeared from sputum after removal of mycetomas. Also following removal of aspergillomas a decrease of sputum production was noted and it changed its character from purulent to mucoid.