SEASONAL CHRONIC COUGH WITH SPUTUM EOSINOPHILIA CAUSED BY TRICHOSPORON-CUTANEUM (TRICHOSPORON ASAHII)

The case of a 46-year-old man with a chronic cough with sputum eosinop hilia (atopic cough) caused by Trichosporon cutaneum serotype II (Tric hosporon asahii) is reported. The diagnosis was made with the inhalati on challenge test with T. asahii antigen. He was admitted for the diag nosis and treatment of a severe nonproductive cough in the summer seas on. Although his sputum contained 13% eosinophils of nucleated cells, he did not have bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine or a hei ghtened bronchomotor tone. Bronchodilator therapy was not effective fo r his cough. His symptoms worsened on returning home, suggesting the e xistence of some etiologic agent in his house. A high titer of serum a nti-Trichosporon antibody was detected and antigen provocation test wi th the Trichosporon extract was positive: the development of a cough 6 h later and a decrease in the cough threshold to inhaled capsaicin 48 h later (7.85 mu M from 31.3 mu M prechallenge). This is the first re port on a chronic cough with sputum eosinophilia induced by T. cutaneu m (T. asahii).