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Polymicrobial lung infection in postrenal transplant recipient diagnosed by fine‐needle aspiration cytology
Author(s) -
Duggal Rajan,
Rajwanshi Arvind,
Gupta Nalini,
Lal Anupam,
Singhal Manphool
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
diagnostic cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1097-0339
pISSN - 8755-1039
DOI - 10.1002/dc.21198
Subject(s) - medicine , cytology , lung , cytopathology , fine needle aspiration , fine needle aspiration cytology , pathology , surgery , biopsy
Tuberculous and fungal infections are among the non‐neoplastic lesions of the lung, in which fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has proven to be a useful technique in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. The presence of polymicrobial infection in a renal transplant recipient is documented in the literature, but has rarely been diagnosed on cytology. We report a case of concomitant pulmonary cryptococcosis, aspergillosis, and tuberculosis in a renal transplant recipient diagnosed on FNAC. A 50‐year‐old renal transplant recipient, asymptomatic for 3 year, presented with intermittent low‐grade fever associated with cough, expectoration, and a newly developed cavitatory lesion in the left lung on chest X‐ray. Computed tomography‐guided FNAC performed on the lung lesion showed fungal profiles with septate hyphae and acute‐angled branching consistent with morphology of Aspergillus. In addition, numerous yeast forms of cryptococcus and a few acid‐fast mycobacterial tubercle bacilli were seen. Guided FNAC is a useful and reliable technique for the diagnosis of pulmonary infection. One should always keep in mind the possibility of polymicrobial infections especially inimmunocompromised patients. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.