An autopsy case of pulmonary fissure induced by zygomycosis

Abstract

Yuichiro Imai,1 Yasushi Adachi,2,3 Takashi Kimura,4 Chikara Nakano,5 Toshiki Shimizu,4 Ming Shi,2 Mitsuhiko Okigaki,6 Tomohiko Shimo,1 Kazunari Kaneko,1 Susumu Ikehara2 1Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, 2Department of Stem Cell Disorders, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, 3Division of Clinical Pathology, Toyooka Hospital, Hyogo, 4First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, 5Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, 6Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan Abstract: For immunodeficient patients, fungi are life-threatening pathogens. In this paper, we present an autopsy case of combined zygomycosis and aspergillosis. A female in her 70s on chronic hemodialysis was admitted to a hospital suffering bloody sputum, dyspnea, and fever, probably due to perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-related vasculitis. Antibiotics were administered and immunosuppressive therapy was started, resulting in an improvement in her condition. Pneumonia later developed, followed by pulmonary bleeding and intractable pneumothorax from which she ultimately died. On autopsy, the upper lobe of the left lung was found to have hemorrhagic necrosis and showed a large longitudinal fissure. Microscopically, Zygomycota were observed in both the lungs and heart, while Aspergillus was found in the middle lobe of the right lung. Zygomycosis, which usually has a poor prognosis, is assumed to have induced hemorrhagic infarction of the lungs, inducing pulmonary bleeding and necrosis, despite the use of lipid formulations of amphotericin B, which are effective medicines against Zygomycota. Keywords: pulmonary fissure, zygomycosis, aspergillosis, lung, immunosuppression