A Case of Esophageal Aspergillosis Developed in Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 감염과화학요법

ABSTRACT

Invasive fungal infections contribute substantially to death and illness. Invasive aspergillosis usually occurs in immunocompromised patients and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Primary infection usually involves the respiratory tract following environmental exposure to Aspergillus and may, in severely immunocompromised patients, disseminate to other organs. A 35-year-old woman with history of rheumatoid arthritis for more than 10 years, developed dysphagia for 2 months following the combination therapy with prednisolone and etanercept. The patient was hospitalized and diagnosed as esophageal aspergillosis by gastroduodenoscopic biopsy. Fourteen days after initiation of itraconazole, dysphagia recovered completely. It is very rare case to develop only esophageal aspergillosis without invasion of any other organs. We report here, the case of localized aspergillosis in patient who took immunosuppressants for rheumatoid arthritis.