Familial occurrence of bronchiolitis obliterans associated with pulmonary aspergillosis

Abstract

We report the familial occurrence of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) associated with pulmonary aspergillosis. A mother and daughter admitted for dyspnea after taking Sauropus androgynus both had overfiltration of both lungs in chest X-ray and severe obstructive impairment in lung function tests. They were initially diagnosed with severe asthma and treated with high-dose prednisolone (0.5mg/kg/day) for 1 month to no effects. They did not show reversibility in lung function test. They were difinitively diagnosed with BO associated with Sauropus androgynus. Six months later, the mother's symptoms worsened with productive sputum and severe dyspnea, and her chest X-ray showed patty shadow in both upper lung fields. Precipitating antibodies to aspergillus antigen were positive and aspergillus fumigatus was detected from her sputum culture. She was diagnosed with aspergillosis and treatment with Micafungin (MCFG) and Itraconazole (ITCZ) was started. The daughter's symptoms also worsened and her chest tomography showed multiple cavities in both lung fields. Precipitating antibodies to aspergillus were positive. She was diagnosed with Invasive aspergillosis. She was treated unsuccessfully with MCFG and Amphotericin B (AMPH) and ITCZ. Few reports cover BO with aspergillus infection without organ impairment. In these 2 cases, treatment with steroids' or immune suppression of the lung with BO may a trigger aspergillus infection.