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Aspergilloma Superinfection in the Spinal Canal of an 18-Year-Old Man: A Case Report
Yash Prakash Ved1, Deepika Jain2, Tushar Rathod2
1Department of Orthopaedics, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Case:
An 18-year-old immunocompetent man presented with symptomatic lumbar canal stenosis, discharging sinuses, and cold abscess for 3 years treated with multiple incision drainage procedures with cottonoid packing antibiotic therapy. Radiographic imaging showed a soft tissue mass in the canal causing bony destruction. Postoperative histopathological examination showed an Aspergillus fungal ball. Patient showed improvement at 6-month follow-up with medical management.
Conclusion:
As far as we know, this is the first case report showing an aspergilloma involving the vertebral column. Inadequate antibiotic treatment and blind introduction of a foreign body into sinus tracts can lead to fungal infections mimicking tuberculosis, causing disastrous outcomes. Fungal cultures are recommended routinely.
Insights
This case report details a rare Aspergillus fungal ball infection in the vertebral column of an 18-year-old male. Prompt diagnosis and medical management led to significant improvement, highlighting the need for fungal cultures in complex infections.
Area of Science:
- Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Mycology
Background:
- Vertebral column infections are typically bacterial.
- Fungal infections of the spine are rare, especially in immunocompetent individuals.
- Aspergilloma is a fungal ball caused by Aspergillus species, commonly affecting the lungs.
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