Tracheobronchial Aspergillosis An autopsy case report

ABSTRACT

Tracheobronchial aspergillosis is an unusual form of invasive aspergillosis characterized by noninvasive or only superficially invasive tracheobronchitis with a propensity for dissemination. We report a two-year-old male who suddenly died of respiratory failure. Postmortem examination revealed a pseudomembrane covering the mucosa of larynx, trachea and bronchial tree of both lungs. This pseudomembrane was composed predominantly of Aspergillus hyphae. There was transmural necrotizing bronchitis with fungal invasion to the narrow zone of peribronchial tissue, and dissemination to the stomach and kidney. This form of pulmonary aspergillosis had not been reported in this country.