Aspergillus niger osteitis of the middle ear in a patient with HIV infection
Lesueur, A.; Salmon Ceron, D.; Corlieu, P.; Ginsburg, C.; Sicard, D.
Presse Medicale 26(23): 1098
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0755-4982 PMID: 9246102 Document Number: 474230
A case is reported in a 31-year-old HIV-positive male drug abuser from France, who presented in 1995 with fever, otalgia, perforation of the typanum and otorrhoea. Otitis media was diagnosed; A. niger was cultured from secretions. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated nonhomogenous invasion of the middle ear. The patient refused systemic therapy and only topical amphotericin B was administered. A repeat CT scan 3 months later demonstrated osteitis of the middle ear. Surgical debridement of Aspergillus hyphae provided some improvement but the patient died 2 months later of neurological symptoms that could have been due to intracranial extension of the aspergillosis.