"Fleeting pulmonary infiltrates in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis" Misdiagnosed as tuberculosis

Int J Mycobacteriol. 2018 Apr-Jun;7(2):186-190. doi: 10.4103/ijmy.ijmy_57_18.

Abstract

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is underdiagnosed and underevaluated routinely because of clinical and radiological overlap with tuberculosis (TB), especially in tropical setting with high TB burden countries like India. ABPA is the best-recognized manifestation of Aspergillus-associated hypersensitivity to Aspergillus antigens in patients with long-standing atopic asthma. ABPA with varied clinical presentation has been reported to occur in 20% of asthmatic patients admitted to hospitals and in 5% of all rhinitis cases. In this case report, we documented middle age male with known asthma case for many years with constitutional symptoms such as cough, fever, and shortness of breath diagnosed as TB and received anti-TB treatment for 4 weeks. Finally, we confirmed as a case of ABPA and documented complete clinical and radiological response to medical treatment with antifungals and systemic corticosteroids.

Keywords: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis; fleeting pulmonary infiltrates; tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / administration & dosage
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / diagnosis*
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / diagnostic imaging
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / drug therapy
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / microbiology
  • Aspergillus / physiology
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis / diagnostic imaging

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents