Primary laryngeal aspergillosis in a postpartum patient

ABSTRACT

@#<p style="text-align justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> To present a rare case of primary laryngeal aspergillosis manifesting with hoarseness in a seemingly healthy, immunocompetent, postpartum patient and discuss the probable contributing factors leading to this unusual disease process.</p> <p style="text-align justify;"><strong>METHODS</strong><br /><strong>Design:</strong> Case Report<br /><br /><strong>Setting:</strong> Tertiary Private University Hospital<br /><br /><strong>Subjects:</strong>  One<br /><br /><strong>RESULTS:</strong> A 28-year-old previously healthy postpartum woman presented with hoarseness of a few weeks duration and recent intake of antibiotics and steroids. Videolaryngoscopy revealed a creamy, exophytic mass overlying both vocal folds. Microscopic examination revealed septated, dichotomously branching hyphae with acute angles characteristic of Aspergillus sp. The patient recovered with anti fungal medications.<br /><br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The clinical presentation of laryngeal aspergillosis can be very non-specific and should not be disregarded merely on the basis of immune competence. It should be considered, together with other host and environmental factors when a patient responds poorly to conventional treatment. There is a need for quick and accurate diagnosis as the disease responds quite rapidly with appropriate anti fungal medications.</p>