Adiaspiromycosis mimicking widespread malignancy in a patient with pulmonary adenocarcinoma
- 1Department of Histopathology, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Crownhill, Plymouth, Devon, UK
- 2Department of Histopathology, Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation NHS Trust, Exeter, Devon, UK
- 3Department of Thoracic and Upper GI Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation NHS Trust, Exeter, Devon, UK
- 4Exeter Oncology Center, Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation NHS Trust, Exeter, Devon, UK
- 5HPA Mycology Reference Laboratory, Bristol, UK
- Correspondence to Dr Jemimah L Denson, Department of Histopathology, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Derriford Road, Crownhill, Plymouth, Devon PL6 8DH, UK; jem_denson{at}yahoo.co.uk
- Accepted 8 May 2008
Abstract
Adiaspiromycosis, a mycotic disease of small animals, has rarely been reported in humans. The principle causative organism in Europe is Emmonsia crescens. Inhaled, dust-borne spores of E crescens fail to germinate in host tissue, instead increasing in size dramatically to become thick-walled, round adiapsores, which induce a granulomatous response. The pathological effects depend on the spore burden and host immunocompetence, and range from asymptomatic infection through to necrogranulomatous pneumonia, respiratory failure and, rarely, death. Diagnosis is principally made through histological examination. This report describes a case of a patient with low-grade, localised pulmonary adenocarcinoma with occult adiaspiromycosis that radiologically mimicked widespread malignancy. It is believed to be the first reported human case of adiaspiromycosis in the UK.
Footnotes
-
Competing interests None.
-
Patient consent Obtained.
