Observations on the Disposition ofAspergillus Fumigatusin the Respiratory Tract

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pulmonary aspergillosis is presented as occurring principally in the following forms bronchial, aspergilloma, and pneumonic. The characteristic manner in which aspergillosis is manifested in each form is reviewed. Three additional cases of secondary pulmonary aspergillosis are then presented involving cavitary, bronchial, and laryngeal lesions. Underlying diseases included bronchiectasis, monocytic leukemis, and pulmonary sarcoidosis. In two cases Aspergillus fumigatus was presumptively diagnosed on the basis of its fructification seen in pathologic sections. A rationale''for the differential diagnosis of A. fumigatus seen in vivo is given. In the third case, the organism though repeatedly cultured from fresh specimens of sputum and bronchial washings, was never recognized in direct smears stained by the Gram''s, Giemsa, or periodic acid-fuchsin techniques. A simple cover glass culture procedure was used here to show that in vitro growth resulted from the germination of phagocytosal conida.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: