BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE FOR DIAGNOSIS OF FUNGAL DISEASE - 5 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN A SOUTHERN UNITED-STATES RURAL AREA WITH MANY BLASTOMYCOSIS CASES

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative frequency of Blastomyces dermatit idis among other microorganisms in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specim ens. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 208 BAL specimens rece ived from 192 patients from March 1988 to August 1993. RESULTS: Forty- seven specimens from 42 patients were positive for pathogenic microorg anisms, and 2 other specimens were diagnostic of malignancy. Pneumocys tis carinii (23 specimens) was the most common microorganism found in the specimens. Candida spp (10 specimens) was the second most common m icroorganism, and B dermatitidis (5 specimens) was the third. Cryptoco ccus neoformans (3 patients), Histoplasma capsulatum (2 patients) and Conidiobolus coronatus (1 patient) were the other fungi detected in BA L. Acid-fast bacilli, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus were al so found (1 patient each). Several patients had more than one organism . CONCLUSION: B dermatitidis was the third most common microorganism f ound in BAL specimens at our hospital.