Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis transformed into fatal mucous impaction by immune reconstitution in an AIDS patient

Abstract

Reported here is the case of a newly diagnosed AIDS patient with end-stage HIV infection and biopsy-proven invasive pulmonary aspergillosis who responded to antifungal therapy but developed severe mucous impaction in association with rapid immune restoration that was ultimately fatal. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis complicates about 4% of AIDS infections. A search of the medical literature revealed no previous report of this organism's involvement in immune restoration syndrome.