Multiple Aspergillus cerebellar abscesses in a middle-aged female: case report and literature review

Aspergillus fumigatus Epidural Abscess and Postsurgical Wound Infection in an Immunocompetent Host

In this case, we present an immunocompetent patient who had a wound infection secondary to Aspergillus fumigatus after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure that was complicated by an epidural abscess. The patient was treated with voriconazole and responded favorably. We highlight the need for awareness of the possibility of an Aspergillus infection in people without any obvious immunocompromise and advocate for the inclusion of this opportunistic fungus in the workup of postneurosurgical infections and dura-based collections. A brief review of relevant literature is also included.

A Rare Case of COVID-19-Associated Solitary Aspergillus Brain Abscess

Surgically operated case of solitary Aspergillus brain abscess caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient is not reported. The authors report a case of 33-year-old diabetic female patient presented with generalized seizure followed by left hemiparesis. Patient was treated with steroids for COVID-19 pneumonia. Initial imaging revealed a right frontal lobe infarct that later confirmed as a case of frontal lobe abscess. Patient underwent craniotomy and thick yellow pus was drained. Abscess wall was excised. Postoperatively patient improved with Glasgow coma scale 15/15 and Medical Research Committee grade 5 power of all limbs. Microbiological examination of pus was done. The gram stain showed numerous pus cells with acute angle branching hyphae. Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) preparation showed filamentous black colored hyphae. Mycelial colonies appeared on chocolate agar after 48 hours of incubation. Cellophane tape mount from the plate showed conical shaped vesicle with conidia arising from the upper third of vesicle. Light green velvety colonies appeared on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar that later turned into smoky green. The isolate was identified as Aspergillus fumigatus . The hematoxylin and eosin stain of abscess wall section showed extensive areas of necrosis with few fungal hyphae. GMS stain of abscess wall showed fungal hyphae that are septate and showing acute angled branching which are consistent with Aspergillus species. Patient was treated with voriconazole. Imaging done after 8 months of surgery revealed no residue. Surgical excision of life-threatening solitary Aspergillus brain abscess along with antifungal medication voriconazole carries good result. The authors believe that decreased immunity in patient has contributed to the development of this rare disease. This is a rarest case of surgically operated solitary brain abscess caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in COVID-19 patient.

Aspergillus fumigatus cerebral abscess following hemodialysis: A case report

Background and Purpose

Cerebral aspergillosis is a notorious disease that causes rapid clinical deterioration and carries a poor prognosis. Therefore, it requires timely diagnosis and prompt management.

Case Report

This study reports a case of fungal cerebral abscess in a 26years old man following hemodialysis,2 months afterdengue-induced acute kidney disease. Aspergillus fumigatus was recovered from a brain abscess specimen that was subjected to a parietal craniotomy. The patient was successfully treated with oral Voriconazole 400mg BD for 2 days, followed by 200 mg BD for 3months.

Conclusion

Hemodialysis patients are at high risk offungal infections due to the frequent use of catheters or the insertion of needles to access the bloodstream. Therefore, a high index of suspicion of fungal infection is required in patients with hemodialysis by the clinician for early diagnosis and treatment.

Isavuconazole Treatment of Spinal Cord Invasive Aspergillosis Guided by Cerebrospinal Fluid (1,3)-β-d-Glucan Levels in a Patient with Low Interferon-Gamma and Ulcerative Colitis

This case highlights the use of (1,3)-beta-d glucan to direct treatment of a cervical spinal cord Aspergillus fumigatus infection in a 22-year-old woman immunocompromised due to steroid and anti-TNF therapy in the context of ulcerative colitis and interferon gamma deficiency. A 4-year treatment course requiring neurosurgical intervention on four occasions and prolonged antifungal therapy, including isavuconazole, resulted in clinical cure with a corresponding decrease in CSF beta-d-glucan to <30 pg/mL. Serum and CSF galactomannan levels were not elevated at any point during the clinical course.

Acute Cerebellar Inflammation and Related Ataxia: Mechanisms and Pathophysiology

The cerebellum governs motor coordination and motor learning. Infection with external microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, induces the release and production of inflammatory mediators, which drive acute cerebellar inflammation. The clinical observation of acute cerebellitis is associated with the emergence of cerebellar ataxia. In our animal model of the acute inflammation of the cerebellar cortex, animals did not show any ataxia but hyperexcitability in the cerebellar cortex and depression-like behaviors. In contrast, animal models with neurodegeneration of the cerebellar Purkinje cells and hypoexcitability of the neurons show cerebellar ataxia. The suppression of the Ca2+-activated K+ channels in vivo is associated with a type of ataxia. Therefore, there is a gap in our interpretation between the very early phase of cerebellar inflammation and the emergence of cerebellar ataxia. In this review, we discuss the hypothesized scenario concerning the emergence of cerebellar ataxia. First, compared with genetically induced cerebellar ataxias, we introduce infection and inflammation in the cerebellum via aberrant immunity and glial responses. Especially, we focus on infections with cytomegalovirus, influenza virus, dengue virus, and SARS-CoV-2, potential relevance to mitochondrial DNA, and autoimmunity in infection. Second, we review neurophysiological modulation (intrinsic excitability, excitatory, and inhibitory synaptic transmission) by inflammatory mediators and aberrant immunity. Next, we discuss the cerebellar circuit dysfunction (presumably, via maintaining the homeostatic property). Lastly, we propose the mechanism of the cerebellar ataxia and possible treatments for the ataxia in the cerebellar inflammation.

Impact of Surgical and Medical Treatment on Survival of Patients with Cerebral Aspergillosis: Systematic Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVE

Cerebral aspergillosis carries a high mortality. Rapid diagnosis and treatment can increase survival, but symptoms and imaging findings are nonspecific. The literature on cerebral aspergillosis consists mostly of case reports and case series and lacks large-scale review of data.

METHODS

We performed a review of the literature using PubMed in March 2019. We recorded the year of publication, age and sex of patients, neurosurgical involvement, the antifungals administered, use of intrathecal antifungals, and the outcome of patients. The relationships among variables were tested using bivariant statics and linear regression.

RESULTS

A total of 324 studies met the eligibility criteria, and 198 studies including 248 patients were included. Surgical resection (odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.80; P < 0.01) and administration of voriconazole (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.18-0.55; P < 0.001) or itraconazole (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.72; P < 0.001) were shown to be significantly associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the significant survival benefits for patients who received voriconazole and surgical intervention, we suggest early antifungal medical treatment and resection.

Isolated cerebral aspergillosis in an immunocompetent woman on treatment for bacterial infected necrotizing pancreatitis: A case report

RATIONALE

Cerebral aspergillosis (CA) is a rare manifestation of invasive aspergillosis. It usually affects seriously immunocompromised hosts. Pancreatic bacterial or/and fungal infection is common in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We report the first case of an immunocompetent woman with infected necrotizing pancreatitis due to multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii who, in the course of treatment, developed isolated CA.

DIAGNOSES

Magnetic resonance imaging, rather than computed tomography, revealed latent homolateral sinus disease-the possible source of the Aspergillus infection.

INTERVENTIONS

The pancreatic infection was controlled by open necrosectomy, and the CA was disappeared after neuronavigation-guided drainage and voriconazole antifungal therapy.

OUTCOME

The patient was discharged without complications. Our report revealed that persistent hyperglycemia, sepsisassociated immunoparalysis, and prolonged antibiotic use could impair severe patient's immunocompetence, making them more susceptible to opportunistic cerebral Aspergillus infection; the risk may be especially high in patients with paranasal sinus diseases.

LESSONS

Timely neurosurgical intervention combined with voriconazole antifungal therapy can provide a favorable outcome.

Long term outcome of medical and surgical co-management of craniospinal aspergillosis in an immunocompromised patient

35 yr old steroid dependent lady with Pulmonary TB underwent debridement of epidural abscess & posterior stabilization for paraparesis. With histopathology and cultures showing Aspergillus fumigatus, voricanozole was started. By the fourth week, she developed persistent fever, and altered mental status. Brain MRI and CSF study including multiplex PCR evaluation confirmed cerebral aspergillosis. Voricanozole was changed to intravenous lipid complex Amphotericin B to achieve sustained clinical and radiological response after six months of therapy.

Aspergillus flavus-Induced Brain Abscess in an Immunocompetent Child: Case report

Intracranial aspergillosis is an extremely rare manifestation of invasive aspergillosis in immunocompetent children and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report a 12-year-old immunocompetent male child who was referred to the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2010 after a sudden-onset headache and loss of consciousness. Brain imaging revealed a large right space-occupying occipital lesion and the patient underwent a craniotomy and resection. Histopathology of the lesion revealed necrotising granulomatous fungal encephalitis with many hyphae engulfed by multinucleated giant histiocytes. Two days later, a computed tomography scan showed debulking of the fungal mass and the patient was discharged on oral voriconazole. However, imaging at a six-week follow-up showed progression of the abnormality. A residual or persistent fungal brain lesion was suspected. Further neurosurgical resection of the lesion was performed and cultures showed growth of Aspergillus flavus. The patient was treated successfully with antifungal therapy over the following two years.

Management of granulomatous cerebral aspergillosis in immunocompetent adult patients: a review

Cerebral aspergillosis, is an infrequent, opportunistic infection of the central nervous system that accounts for 5-10% of all intracranial fungal pathology. It is uncommon in immunocompetent patients and has a significant disease burden, with high morbidity and mortality, even with appropriate treatment. Basic principles of abscess management should be employed, including aspiration and targeted anti-fungal therapy for 12-18 months. However, reported outcomes with a purely minimally invasive approach are poor and there should be a low threshold for surgical excision, especially in resource poor settings and in patients with deteriorating neurology harbouring sizeable masses. Evidence favouring gross total excision over subtotal resection is lacking, however. It is notable that these recommendations are largely based on retrospective case series and isolated case reports. There is a need therefore for international collaboration to evaluate management strategies for immunocompetent patients with cerebral aspergillosis.

Resolution of aspergillosis in neuroimaging of an immunocompromised patient with pulmonary and cerebral lesions

Central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis is uncommon and considered the most lethal form of aspergillosis. Indeed, current therapeutic strategies such as combination antifungal regimen, neurosurgical resection of infected tissue, and removal of infection source fail to improve the unsatisfactory prognosis of CNS aspergillosis in the majority of the patients. The authors describe a case of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis with concomitant CNS lesions that dramatically responded to antifungal therapy and the CNS lesions resolved in follow-up imaging.

Central Nervous System Aspergilloma in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report

Intracranial aspergilloma is extremely rare. The diagnosis and treatment of invasive CNS aspergillosis is very difficult. Early diagnosis is important for a successful treatment. Here, we report a case of intracranial aspergilloma in an 11-year-old boy in 2013. Good outcome was achieved by treatment with a combination of neurosurgical resection and antifungal administration, which we suggest is a good quality management plan.

Quantification of brain voriconazole levels in healthy adults using fluorine magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Voriconazole is more effective for aspergillosis infections with central nervous system involvement than other antifungal agents. The clinical efficacy of voriconazole for central nervous system infections has been attributed to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. However, pharmacokinetic studies are limited to plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, so it remains unclear how much of the drug enters the brain. Fluorinated compounds such as voriconazole can be quantified in the brain using fluorine-19 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Twelve healthy adult males participated in a pharmacokinetic analysis of voriconazole levels in the brain and plasma. Open-label voriconazole was dosed per clinical protocol with a loading dose of 400 mg every 12 h on day 1, followed by 200 mg every 12 h administered orally over a 3-day period. MRS was performed before and after dosing on the third day. Voriconazole levels in the brain exceeded the MIC for Aspergillus. The brain/plasma ratios were 3.0 at steady state on day 3 (predose) and 1.9 postdose. We found that voriconazole is able to penetrate the brain tissue, which can be quantified using a noninvasive MRS technique. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00300677.).

Cerebral aspergillosis with multiple enhancing nodules in the right cerebral hemisphere in the immune-competent patient

Aspergillosis in the central nervous system (CNS) is a very rare disease in immune-competent patients. There was a case of a healthy man without a history of immune-compromised disease who had invasive aspergillosis with unusual radiologic findings. A 48-year-old healthy man with diabetes mellitus, presented with complaints of blurred vision that persisted for one month. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple nodular enhancing lesions on the right cerebral hemisphere. The diffusion image appeared in a high-signal intensity in these areas. Cerebrospinal fluid examination did not show any infection signs. An open biopsy was done and intraoperative findings showed grayish inflammatory and necrotic tissue without a definitive mass lesion. The pathologic result was a brain abscess caused by fungal infection, morphologically aspergillus. Antifungal agents (Amphotericin B, Ambisome and Voriconazole) were used for treatment for 3 months. The visual symptoms improved. There was no recurrence or abscess pocket, but the remaining focal enhanced lesions were visible in the right temporal and occipital area at a one year follow-up MRI. This immune-competent patient showed multiple enhancing CNS aspergillosis in the cerebral hemisphere, which had a good outcome with antifungal agents.

Successful treatment of liver aspergilloma by caspofungin acetate first-line therapy in a non-immunocompromised patient

Aspergillosis remains to be a life-threatening complication in immunocompromised patients. However, Aspergillus infection can be observed in non-immunocompromised individuals in rare cases. We report a case of liver aspergilloma in a chronic aplastic anemia patient under relatively intact immune status. Therapeutic strategy for this rare condition was extensively discussed and caspofungin acetate single agent first-line therapy was applied after careful consideration. Encouraging clinical and radiologic improvements were achieved in response to the antifungal salvage. Our long-term follow-up study also revealed a favorable prognosis. Based on this experience, we suggest caspofungin acetate as first-line therapy for treatment plans of liver aspergilloma.