An asthmatic child with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)

Özet

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) results from a TH2hypersensitivity lung disease in response to bronchial colonization ofAspergillus fumigatus in the respiratory tract. ABPA is a very rare disease inthe pediatric population; the prevalence is anticipated to be about 1–2% inadult asthma patients and 2–15% in cystic fibrosis patients. In pediatric asthmapatients, only rare case reports on ABPA have been published. We presenta case of a 12-year-old boy admitted to our hospital with worsening (mildpersistent) asthma symptoms such as a recurrent cough, episodic wheezing,and dyspnea for the last two years. He was diagnosed with pneumoniaseveral times and suspected of having tuberculosis during this time. ChestX-ray showed bilaterally perihilar opacities and computed tomography findingsrevealed central bronchiectasis. With the clinical and laboratory findings, thepatient fulfilled 7/8 major diagnostic criteria for ABPA. Treatment with oralcorticosteroids and itraconazole was effective. To the best of our knowledge,this is the first reported case of pediatric ABPA with previously documentedasthma from Turkey.