Question

Scenario Case Study: Scenario 1: A 49-year-old patient with rheumatoid arthritis comes into the clinic with a chief complaint of a fever. Patient’s current medications include atorvastatin 40 mg at night, methotrexate 10 mg po every Friday morning and prednisone 5 mg po qam. He states that he has had a fever up to 101 degrees F for about a week and admits to chills and sweats. He says he has had more fatigue than usual and reports some chest pain associated with coughing. He admits to having occasional episodes of hemoptysis. He works as a grain inspector at a large farm cooperative. After extensive work-up, the patient was diagnosed with Invasive aspergillosis.

Answer 1

Aspergillosis is caused by a type of mold (fungus) from the species of Aspergillus, whichresulting from aspergillosis infection usually affect the respiratory system, but their signs and severity vary greatly from mild to severe.

Invasive aspergillosis is the most severe form of aspergillosis. It occurs when the infection spreads rapidly from the lungs to the brain, heart, kidneys or skin. Invasive aspergillosis occurs only in people whose immune systems are weakened as a result of chemotherapy related to cancer, bone marrow transplantation or a disease of the immune system. Untreated condition may be fatal.

CAUSES

*Aspergillus Molds.

To a person with healthy immune system, it may not affect that much, but in the compromised patient, molds can invade lungs, can affect severely,even to other organs.

RISK FACTORS

▪ Compromised immune system

▪ Low WBC level (more chance of infection)

▪ Known case of asthma or cystic fibrosis

▪ Lung cavities

▪ Corticosteroid therapy (long term)

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms mainly depends upon the organ which affected, but in common, patients may develop

▪ Fever and chills

▪ A cough that brings up blood (hemoptysis)

▪ Shortness of breath

▪ Chest or joint pain

▪ Headaches or eye symptoms

COMPLICQ