Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common pathogen causing invasive aspergillosis. Although invasive aspergillosis mainly involves lung, brain, and sinus, Aspergillus fumigatus osteomyelitis of the spine has been reported very rarely. We experienced a case of vertebral Aspergillus osteomyelitis and report it with a review. A 70-year-old women was admitted due to progressive lower back pain, which had begun 1 month before admission. Although she had diabetes and hypertension, no other underlying disease or immune dysfunction was found. MRI of spine showed severely destroyeded lumbar spines. Debridement and bone graft was done for correction of unstable spine, and Aspergillus fumigatus was grown from surgical specimen. Amphotericin B was given up to total 2 g, and was switched to oral itraconazole maintenance therapy. She is well until now, 120 days after operation. On the other hand, anthracofibrosis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found through bronchoscopic study, which was done because of atelectasis in left lower lobe of lung. Therefore she was treated with anti-tuberculous agents also.
Aged ; Amphotericin B ; Aspergillosis ; Aspergillus fumigatus* ; Aspergillus* ; Brain ; Debridement ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Itraconazole ; Low Back Pain ; Lung ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Osteomyelitis* ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Spine ; Transplants