ABSTRACT
Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is uncommon and predominantly seen in women. More than 6% of eosinophils in peripheral blood and more than 25% in bronchoalveolar lavage are diagnostic criteria. Secondary causes of hypereosinophilic pneumonia must be ruled out. We report a 72-year-old non-smoker man presenting in the emergency room with a history of cough, fever, and moderate dyspnea. He was not taking any medication. A chest-X ray showed a left lower lobe (LLL) consolidation, and was started on broad-spectrum antibiotics with a presumptive diagnosis of pneumonia. There was no improvement after therapy. A chest CT scan showed increased LLL consolidation and new left upper lobe ground glass opacities as well as a moderate left pleural effusion. Flexible bronchoscopy was performed and bronchoalveolar lavage showed 95% eosinophils, and had negative cultures. No parasites were identified. Transbronchial biopsies demonstrated eosinophil accumulation in alveoli and interstitium and pleural fluid was composed by 85% eosinophils. With the diagnosis of CEP, systemic corticosteroids were used with favorable clinical and radiological response.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Aged , Pulmonary Eosinophilia/diagnosis , Biopsy , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Chronic DiseaseABSTRACT
Treatment failure in community-acquired pneumonia is defined as a clinical condition with inadequate response to antimicrobial therapy. Resistant and unusual microorganisms and noninfectious causes are responsible for treatment failure. Coccidioides immitis is a fungus that causes pneumonia in the northern hemisphere, especially in the United States and northern Mexico. We report a case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis imported from Mexico to Chile. After a comprehensive study, histopathology was able to establish Coccidiodes immitis as the causative agent, achieving clinical and radiological improvement with antifungal therapy.
La neumonía de evolución tórpida son aquellas en que no se logra una respuesta clínica adecuada con el uso de terapia antimicrobiana. Existen múltiples causas a esta falta de respuesta: resistencia antimicrobiana, microorganismos no cubiertos o infecciones por microorganismos atípicos. Coccidioides immitis es un hongo causante de neumonía en el hemisferio norte, especialmente en E.U.A y norte de México. No existen reportes de casos pulmonares importados en Chile. Presentamos el caso de una mujer adulta con una neumonía que no respondió al tratamiento antimicrobiano habitual. Una vez realizado un estudio exhaustivo, se logró establecer mediante el estudio histopatológico la existencia de una coccidiodomicosis como entidad causal, logrando una respuesta clínica y radiológica favorable al tratamiento antifúngico.