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Endobronchial Fungal Infections

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Diseases of the Central Airways

Part of the book series: Respiratory Medicine ((RM))

Abstract

Endobronchial fungal infections (EBFIs), though rare compared to pulmonary or systemic disease, can result from inhalation of fungal yeast or hyphae. Compromised host status and certain environmental factors may increase the likelihood of this type of infection. EBFIs have few systemic symptoms and therefore have been historically difficult to diagnose, but the increased use of flexible bronchoscopy has made diagnosis easier. Characteristics of this type of infection vary and may range from mild mucosal inflammation to invasive disease. Aspergillus species, Coccidioides immitis, Zygomycetes, Candida species, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Histoplasma capsulatum are the most common agents that cause EBFIs. Rarely other fungi-like Pseudallescheria boydii can also cause EBFI. The majority of patients with EBFI is immunocompromised and exhibits systemic manifestations of the primary infection, but with early recognition and appropriate therapy, many patients do recover. EBFI should be included in the differential diagnosis of endobronchial abnormalities encountered in immunocompromised hosts especially in the endemic regions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lerner College of Medicine, Buoncore Family Endowed Chair in Lung Transplantation, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Atul C. Mehta

  2. Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Atul C. Mehta

  3. Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant Programs, Norton Thoracic Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Tanmay S. Panchabhai

  4. Department of Chest Disease, Ankara University School of Medicine, Mamak Street, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Demet Karnak

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  1. Atul C. Mehta
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  2. Tanmay S. Panchabhai
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  3. Demet Karnak
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Correspondence to Demet Karnak .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Family Endowed Chair in Lung Transplanta, Lerner College of Medicine Buoncore, Clevland, Ohio, USA

    Atul C. Mehta

  2. Louis A Johnson VA Medical Center, Fairmont, West Virginia, USA

    Prasoon Jain

  3. Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Thomas R. Gildea

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Mehta, A.C., Panchabhai, T.S., Karnak, D. (2016). Endobronchial Fungal Infections. In: Mehta, A., Jain, P., Gildea, T. (eds) Diseases of the Central Airways. Respiratory Medicine. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29830-6_9

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