Mycotic infection in various cavitary lung diseases

ABSTRACT

This study was conduced on 50 cases from Chest Clinic in Benha University Hospital with various cavitary lung abscess, 5 bronchiectasis and 4 bronchogenic carcinoma for the presence of mycotic infection. Patients were investigated clinically and radiologically. Sputum samples were collected and examined by direct microscopic examination using 20% [KOH] and by culture on different media selective for Aspergillus and the isolated fungi were identified by conventional methods. The sera of the patients were also tested for antiaspergillar antibodies by double immunodiffusion [DID]. Aspergillus niger was isolated from sputum of 6 patients [12%] and Aspergillus flavus from one patient only [2%], while aspergillus fumigatus was not detected at all by culture. Candida species were isolated from 21 cases [42%]. The precipitation test [DID] was positive only in one patient [2%] denoting the presence of antibodies against Aspergillus fumigatus