86 https://www.id-press.eu/mjms/index
Scientifc Foundation SPIROSKI, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2020 Aug 15; 8(C):86-88.
https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2020.3563
eISSN: 1857-9655
Category: C - Case Reports
Section: Case Report in Surgery
Cerebral Aspergilloma in Patient with Diabetes – A Case Report
with Short Literature Review
Koni Ivanova
1
*, Stefan Valkanov
2
, Bozhidar Petrov
2
, Ivan Mindov
2
, Maya Gulubova
1
1
Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Trakia University, Faculty of Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria;
2
Department of
Neurosurgery, Trakia University, Faculty of Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In the recent years, the incidence of fungal brain abscess has been rising as a result of the
increased use of corticosteroid therapy, broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, and immunosuppressive agents.
Aspergillosis of the central nervous system (CNS) is reported in 10%–20% of the patients having invasive fungal
disease. Commonly, the disease is observed in immunocompromised or immunosuppressed patients; also, patients
who sufered traumatic head injury are reported as well to develop the infection due to due cranial defect accompanied
by dural tearing. Symptoms are non-specifc neurologic manifestations.
CASE PRESENTATION: We presented a case of a 68-year-old man who had diabetes mellitus type II. He was
admitted to in neurosurgery clinic due reported head trauma. Initially, he complained of a headache, dizziness,
slurred speech, nausea, and pain in the right ear with tinnitus and pain in his right upper teeth – continuous for
a month. The patient was conscious, adequate, Glasgow Coma Scale – 15 points, with left-sided hemiparesis,
general symptomatic syndrome. An emergent computed tomography scan was performed, which showed tumorous
formation in patient’s right temporal lobe that had mass efect and compression of the right lateral ventricle. The
patient was discussed on a emergent clinical counsel and it was decided that he was shown for surgical treatment.
An informed consent was signed by the patient and his relatives. After the surgery intervention – the histological
result of the biopsy was aspergilloma of the brain and the microbiological result was Aspergillus fumigatus.
CONCLUSION: The prognosis for CNS aspergillosis is poor, but the early diagnosis and efective medical and
surgical treatments may reduce morbidity and mortality.
Introduction
Aspergillosis of the central nervous system
(CNS) is reported in 10%–20% of the patients having
invasive fungal disease. Commonly, the disease is
observed in immunocompromised or immunosuppressed
patients, also patients who sufered traumatic head injury
are reported as well to develop the infection due to the
cranial defect accompanied by dural tearing [1], [2].
Aspergillosis of brain is rare condition and commonly
seen in immunocompromised or immunosuppressed
patients, such as patients with hematopoietic stem cell
transplant, AIDS, patients on immunosuppressive drugs,
uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and some patients with
cancer [3], [4]. There are various pathologic presentation
forms of this infection: Aseptic and persistent meningitis,
mycotic aneurysm, ischemic and hemorrhagic infarcts,
and the tumor-like form or aspergilloma [5], [6]. Aspergillus
infection could reach the brain directly from the nasal
sinuses through vascular channels (contiguous source
25%–50% of the cases), also from the lungs (most
commonly) and gastrointestinal system by blood borne
(hematogenous dissemination 20%–35%). Trauma could
lead to brain abscess formation as a result of an open
cranial fracture with dural breach or foreign body injury or
as a sequela of neurosurgery – and the reported incidence
is 2.5%–10%. [7], [8], [9]. Aspergillosis of the CNS is an
infrequent medical condition and does not have a specifc
imaging pattern and hence poses a difcult diagnostic
challenge, carry higher risks of morbidities and mortality
as compared to other infective processes [10]. The
most common presenting symptoms are non-specifc
neurologic manifestations – general brain symptomatic
and/or also focal neurologic symptoms, depending on the
localization of the process [11]. In this article, we present
a case of patient with cerebral aspergilloma.
Case Report
A 68-year-old man was brought to the
emergency department. He complained of a headache,
complained of dizziness, slurred speech, nausea,
tinnitus, and pain in the right ear and also right upper
teeth continuing a month. There was no history of fever.
He has diabetes type II, adenoma of the prostate gland
and has amputation of the left arm. Hematological and
Edited by: Sinisa Stojanoski
Citation: Ivanova K, Valkanov S, Petrov B, Mindov I,
Gulubova M. Cerebral Aspergilloma in Patient with
Diabetes – A Case Report with Short Literature Review.
Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2020 Aug 15; 8(C):86-88.
https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2020.3563
Keywords: Aspergillus; Fungal infection; Fungal
granuloma; Central nervous system; Craniotomy
*Correspondence: Koni Ivanova, Department of General
and Clinical Pathology, Trakia University, Faculty of
Medical, Stara Zagora. Str. Armeska 11, Stara Zagora.
E-mail: koni_ivanova@yahoo.com
Received: 21-Aug-2019
Revised: 30-Jun-2020
Accepted: 03-Jul-2020
Copyright: © 2020 Koni Ivanova, Stefan Valkanov,
Bozhidar Petrov, Ivan Mindov, Maya Gulubova
Funding: This study was supported by the National
Scientifc Programme for support of young scientists and
post-doctoral scientists second year 2020, administered
by the Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria with
decision No. 577/17.08.2018
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no
competing interests exist
Open Access: This is an open-access article distributed
under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0)