Invasive fungal sinusitis caused by Pseudallescheria boydii: Case report and literature review

Abstract

Fungal sinusitis secondary to Pseudallescheria boydii is rare, as only 25 cases have been previously reported in the literature. Although P boydii resembles Aspergillus on pathologic examination, it is typically resistant to amphotericin B. Therefore, culture is necessary to differentiate the two. Patients with P boydii sinusitis should generally be treated with a combination of surgery and antifungal therapy. Combination treatment is particularly important for immunocompromised patients with fungal invasion because mortality among these patients is high. The prognosis is better for immunocompetent patients, even those with fungal invasion. We describe a new case of invasive fungal sinusitis secondary to P boydii infection, and we review the literature on this emerging pathogen.