Aspergillus fumigatus Bloodstream Infection in the Absence of Classic Risk Factors: Expanding the Spectrum of Invasive Aspergillosis
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: We report an unusual case of Aspergillus fumigatus fungemia in a 65-year-old male with multiple comorbidities including, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, and metastatic small cell lung cancer on chemotherapy. He presented with pneumonia and acute hypoxic respiratory failure requiring intubation. The patient developed septic shock and a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC-line)-associated methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia treated with intravenous (IV) cefazolin. Blood cultures unexpectedly revealed A. fumigatus despite a lack of classic risk factors, other than advanced acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), such as prolonged neutropenia or stem cell transplantation. Suspected sources included disseminated infection from the lungs and/or the infected PICC line. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of invasive aspergillosis, a rarely reported and poorly understood entity with a high mortality rate. Further studies are needed to better characterize the epidemiology, risk factors, and optimal management of Aspergillus fungemia in diverse immunocompromised populations.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.80576
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408440328