Background
Aspergillus fumigatus
is an opportunistic fungal pathogen, which is commonly found in lungs and rarely causes infections in mediastinum. Mediastinal
Aspergillus
abscess is a serious infectious condition, and is characterized by difficult diagnosis due to its clinical manifestations being nonspecific.
Case Presentation
Here, we report a case of a mediastinal
Aspergillus fumigatus
abscess in an immunocompetent patient. The patient was a 45-year-old woman who presented with a 20-day history of sore throat without any underlying diseases. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a mass in the anterior superior mediastinum. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) identified
Aspergillus fumigatus
sequences in endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) tissue, indicating the mediastinal
Aspergillus fumigatus
infection of this patient. The following mediastinal biopsy histological analysis and tissue fungi culture also suggested
Aspergillus fumigatus
infection, confirming the mNGS detection. The patient was diagnosed with mediastinal aspergillosis caused by
Aspergillus fumigatus
. After timely voriconazole treatment, the patient was discharged with good condition.
Conclusion
Our study presented a rare case with mediastinal
Aspergillus fumigatus
abscess in an immunocompetent patient. As a new clinical diagnostic method, mNGS could assist timely diagnosis and precise treatment of
Aspergillus
infection.