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Necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis
  1. W. P. U. Kennedy,
  2. D. N. Malone,
  3. W. Blyth
  1. Respiratory Diseases Unit, Northern General Hospital, Edinburgh
  2. Department of Respiratory Diseases, University of Edinburgh
  3. Department of Medicine, University of Edinburgh
  4. Department of Botany, University of Edinburgh

    Abstract

    Necrotizing or invasive aspergillary infection of the lungs has previously been considered a rare condition affecting only the debilitated or seriously ill. Four patients with necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis are described, and the mycological and histopathological findings are discussed. The diagnosis in the first patient was not made until necropsy, following death from fulminating pulmonary infection. Of three patients treated with natamycin, two made a satisfactory recovery; the other died later from bronchial carcinoma. Previous multiple antibiotic therapy in each case may have been a contributory factor to infection with Aspergillus fumigatus. We suggest that fungal infection of the lungs should be actively sought in patients with pulmonary disease, especially in those receiving multiple antibiotic or corticosteroid therapy.

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