A rare case of Blastomyces dermatitidis brain abscess in an immunocompetent host

Magdalena Slomka; James Doub

doi:10.1016/j.mmcr.2020.03.001

A rare case of Blastomyces dermatitidis brain abscess in an immunocompetent host

Med Mycol Case Rep. 2020 Mar 10:28:8-11. doi: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2020.03.001. eCollection 2020 Jun.

Authors

Magdalena Slomka¹, James Doub¹

Affiliation

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Abstract

Here we present a case of a 41-year old immunocompetent female from central Maryland, who presented with new onset seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain revealed a solitary ring-enhancing lesion. Stereotactic brain biopsy confirmed Blastomyces dermatitidis brain abscess. Patient's clinical course was complicated by voriconazole-induced pancytopenia that prompted surgical resection and amphothericin-induced severe hypokalemia necessitating change to high dose fluconazole. Four months after surgical resection, patient remains in radiographic and clinical remission.

Keywords: Blastomyces dermatitidis; Dimorphic fungi; Drug induced; Drug induced hypokalemia; Endemic mycoses; Fungal brain abscess; Pancytopenia.

Publication types

Case Reports