Aspergillosis: A Case of Postoperative Skin Infection

While invasive aspergillosis occurs typically in severely immunocompromised patients, cases of surgical site infection have been reported in immunocompetent individuals. The Medline, LILACS and EMBASE databases were searched for descriptions of cases of post-operative aspergillosis, and references from relevant articles and conference abstracts were reviewed. More than 500 cases of post-operative aspergillosis were found. Cardiac surgery (n = 188), ophthalmological surgery (n > 90) and dental surgery (n > 100) were associated with the majority of cases. Other cases involved wound infections (n = 22), bronchial infections (n = 30), mediastinitis (n = 11), pleural aspergillosis (n = 1), infections following orthopaedic surgery (n = 42), vascular prosthetic surgery (n = 22), breast surgery (n = 5), abdominal surgery (n = 10) and neurosurgery (n = 25). In most patients, the source was presumed to be airborne infection during the surgical procedure. Prevention of these infections requires special care of the ventilation system in the operating room. Successful treatment requires rapid diagnosis, surgical debridement and antifungal therapy, often with voriconazole. In order to improve the outcome, better diagnostic methods are needed, particularly for cases of endocarditis and aortitis.

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“…In 1933, a female aged 14 years underwent surgery for an abdominal tumour [7]. After 16 days, the dressing was removed and an ulcer was observed.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-operative aspergillosis

Pasqualotto

Denning

2006

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

157

173

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“…Pulmonary disease in immunocompromised patients is the most common presentation. Wound infections occur much less frequently but have been reported after cardiac and abdominal surgery [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. Hospital-associated outbreaks usually occur dur- ing periods of construction or renovation [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30], when increased environmental contamination with Aspergillus species can occur [31][32][33][34].…”

Section: Outbreak Of Invasive Aspergillus Infection In Surgical Patiementioning

confidence: 99%

Outbreak of InvasiveAspergillusInfection in Surgical Patients, Associated with a Contaminated Air‐Handling System

et al. 2003

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An outbreak of Aspergillus infection at a tertiary care hospital was identified among inpatients who had amputation wounds, peritonitis, allograft nephritis, or mediastinitis. During a 2-year period, 6 patients were identified, all of whom had Aspergillus species recovered from samples from normally sterile sites. All cases clustered in the operating theater during a single 12-day period. To assess operating theater air quality, particle counts were measured as surrogate markers for Aspergillus conidia. A substantial increase in the proportion of airborne particles > or =3 microm in size (range, 3-fold to 1000-fold) was observed in many operating rooms. A confined space video camera identified moisture and contamination of insulating material in ductwork and variable airflow volume units downstream of final filters. No additional invasive Aspergillus wound infections were identified after the operating theater air-handling systems were remediated, suggesting that this unusual outbreak was due to the deterioration of insulating material in variable airflow volume units.

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“…The first reported series of aspergillus wound infection appeared in I933 (7). Three patients over a 30-year period with A. niger postoperative wound infections are described.…”

Section: Asprrgillus Flavus Wound In Fecfion 807mentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspergillus flavus Wound Infection Following Repair of a Ruptured Duodenum in a Non-immunocompromised Host

Sawyer

Schenk

Adams

et al. 1992

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases

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Aspergillus flavus is generally considered to be an opportunistic organism, rarely causing clinical infections in the immunocompetent host. We present a case of a 79-year-old man without history of immunocompromise who developed a severe aspergillus wound infection in an open wound following repair of a traumatic duodenal perforation. Despite aggressive treatment, this invasive infection contributed significantly to his eventual demise.

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Aspergillosis: A Case of Postoperative Skin Infection

Abstract: Since our student days we have been familiar with the fact that molds may at times be pathogenic in their action. Atten

Cited by 16 publications

References 1 publication

Post-operative aspergillosis

Post-operative aspergillosis

Outbreak of InvasiveAspergillusInfection in Surgical Patients, Associated with a Contaminated Air‐Handling System

Aspergillus flavus Wound Infection Following Repair of a Ruptured Duodenum in a Non-immunocompromised Host

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