Blastomycosis Presenting as Multiple Splenic Abscesses: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Issue 1 (2010)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Al-Nassar, Sami; MacNair, Tracy; Lipschitz, Jeremy; Greenberg, Howard; Trepman, Elly; Hamza, Sate; Embil, John M
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology =. Volume 21:Issue 1(2010)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 56
• Publication Date: 2010
• Subjects: Abdominal pain -- Blastomyces dermatitidis -- Fungus -- Spleen; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases; Infection; Communicable Diseases; Communicable Disease Control; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1155/2010/679604
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1712-9532

Abstract

Abstract : A 31-year-old Canadian Aboriginal man from northwestern Ontario presented with left upper quadrant pain and a tender left upper quadrant mass. Evaluation with a computed tomography scan showed multiple lesions within the spleen, a collection between the splenic tip and splenic flexure of the colon, and several small adrenal lesions. Computed tomographic-guided needle biopsy showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation and multinucleated giant cells. Gomori's methenamine silver stain showed broad-based budding yeast consistent with Blastomyces dermatitidis . Abdominal symptoms resolved after two months of oral itraconazole. Multiple splenic abscesses are a rare presentation of blastomycosis and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of left upper quadrant abdominal pain in a patient with a history of travel or residence in a region endemic for B dermatitidis .