Cladosporium tenuissimum-induced sinusitis in a woman with immune-deficiency disorder

Abstract

Fungal sinusitis is a widespread infection that affects both healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Reports of sinus fungal infections have increased due to recent advances in diagnosis. Furthermore, susceptible and immune-compromised patients play an important role in increasing the number of reported cases. Infections with lesser-known fungi have been reported infrequently around the world. This paper describes a Cladosporium tenuissimum infection caused by chronic fungal sinusitis in a woman who had traveled to several countries. We used morphological and molecular methods to confirm the infection. The infection is most likely caused by the use of sulfasalazine, which is related to the patient's rheumatism. Sulfasalazine inhibits neutrophilic chemoattractant lipid synthesis in neutrophils, which play a key role in antifungal immunity. The patient is also undergoing root canal therapy and has several upper jaw implants, which may have contributed to the development of sinusitis.

Keywords: Cladosporium; Disorder; Fungus ball; Sinusitis.