PERACUTE DISSEMINATED FATAL ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS SEPSIS AS A COMPLICATION OF CORTICOID-TREATED SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

Immunocompromised and granulocytopenic patients and those receiving lo ng-term or high-dose corticoid treatment are predisposed to disseminat ing Aspergillus infections. However, Aspergillus infection has been de scribed only rarely in patients with autoimmune diseases. We report on a woman suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus treated by antibi otics and high-dose corticosteroids, a primary risk factor, who develo ped a peracute disseminated fatal Aspergillus fumigatus infection invo lving the central nervous system. The present case is compared with 10 previous reports of invasive aspergillosis in systemic lupus erythema tosus found by a literature search.