[Histopathological study of experimental recurrent pulmonary aspergillosis--the comparative study of steroid and...

A new animal model of recurrent pulmonary aspergillosis was established using cyclophosphamide (CPM) instead of cortisone acetate for reconstitution of immunosuppression, and histopathological findings were compared with those of the previous model. A recurrence of pulmonary aspergillosis, according to granulocytopenic conditions was much more rapid and uniform in this model than that of steroid induced model shown. In histopathologically, invasive and massive proliferation of Aspergillus hyphae was observed in lungs of rats 5-7 days after the CPM treatment and hyphal invasion into pulmonary vessels which suggested rapid systemic spreading of the infection was also found. This model considered to be good for the simulation of recurrent aspergillosis in patients with severe immunosuppression and also useful for studies of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods of recurrent pulmonary aspergillosis.