Date: 7 February 2014
After 3 weeks of posaconazole given for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, patient NC had a remarkable exacerbation of psoriasis. He had had psoriasis for years, with little trouble and almost no treatment. After taking posaconazole 400mg twice daily, he developed psoriatic plaques on his hands for the first time ever. The plaques on his lower legs became confluent. This occurred in association with worsening chest symptoms, notably increased coughing, more breathlessness and increasing oxygen requirement.
Posaconazole was stopped after 3 weeks, and 2 weeks later he was still very symptomatic with his chest. This responded to a 2 week course of corticosteroids, and his psoriasis also improved.
Copyright:
Fungal Research Trust
Notes: n/a
Images library
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Title
Legend
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Necrotic lung tissue in culture
Af=Colony of Aspergillus fumigatus
B=bacterial colonies
L=lung tissue
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A photograph of part of the upper lung lobe of an immunosuppressed patient. The lung tissue shows extenive areas of necrosis due to invasive colonisation.
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A photograph of a cavity in the upper lobe of the lung of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis. Such cavitation,which may be confused with prior tuberculosis, can follow fibrosis.
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Plugs stained with Methenamine/silverActively growing mycelia of the fungus are a deep brown/black. Counterstaining shows the dense mucus of the plugs as predominantly orange.
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Sputum from an asthmatic patient showing plugs(casts). The development of plugs coincided with an increased prevalence and severity of episodes of asthma
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microscopic characters Conidiophore stipes(C)1300-2800um long:Vesicles(V)40-70um wide,clavate:Phialides(Ph) uniseriate:Conidia(Con)3.5-4.0um long,smooth walled.
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microscopic characters Conidiophore stipes(C)225-350um arising from hyphae(Hy):Vesicles(Ves)15-25um wide:Phialides(Ph)uniseriate:Conidia(Con)2.4-3.0um spherical to ovoid,roughened.
