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. 1991;82(5):420–424. doi: 10.1007/BF00296555

Fulminant blastomycosis with blastomycotic infection of a cerebral glioma

Light microscopic and ultrastructural observations

V Jay 1,✉, N Laperriere 2, R Perrin 3
PMCID: PMC7101955  PMID: 1767635

Summary

Except for isolated case reports, blastomycosis has not been identified as a significant problem in immunosuppressed patients. We describe an unusual case with blastomycotic infection of a cerebral glioma in a 56-year-old man who underwent radiotherapy for his tumor and died of fulminant blastomycotic pneumonia. This is believed to be the first reported case of Blastomyces dermatitidis infection of a cerebral glioma. The light microscopic and ultrastructural features of B. dermatitidis, the giant forms of which were encountered in our patient, are described, and the role of immuno-suppression due to steroid therapy in the pathogenesis of this fulminant infection are reviewed.

Key words: Blastomycosis, North American Blastomy-cosis, Brain tumor, Opportunistic infection, Ultrastructure

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