EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS OF INVASIVE PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS IN BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANT PATIENTS - RESULTS OF A 5-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Of 322 patients undergoing allogeneic BMT, 18 developed invasive pulmo nary aspergillosis at a mean of 115 days post-transplant, with a morta lity rate of 82%. Pulmonary localization was common but cerebral invol vement was seen in 10 of 18 patients. The diagnosis was made ante mort em in 11 patients by direct examination of pathological samples or cul ture and A. fumigatus was the only species isolated. Specific antibodi es were not demonstrated before or at the time of clinical symptoms an d Aspergillus antigen was only seen in one patient a few days before d eath.