Central nervous system Aspergillus fumigatus infection after near drowning

Abstract

Aims: To report the case of a 26 year old white man, who developed chronic meningitis and intracerebral granulomata 15 days after an episode of near drowning in a swamp. Methods: Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Results: The patient died 70 days after the symptoms were first noticed, and seven days after a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Aspergillus has never been reported before as a cause of intracranial infection after near drowning. Conclusions: Physicians must be aware of this possibility when confronted with such a situation, because there are now effective therapeutic options for systemic aspergillosis.