Primary aspergillosis of the larynx associated with CD4⁺ T lymphocytopenia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to report the first case (to our knowlege) of primary laryngeal aspergillosis in a patient with underlying CD4⁺ T lymphocytopenia. Laryngeal involvement of Aspergillus is more commonly seen as a part of a wider infection involving the respiratory system in an immunocompromised host. However, primary infection of the larynx is extremely rare. Although there were 12 cases of primary laryngeal aspergillosis previously reported in healthy subjects, there is no known study describing immunological findings in detail. We report a case of primary laryngeal aspergillosis in a healthy 79-year-old male. The examination of his immunity subsequently revealed that there was a marked decline in the number of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes and a decrease in the ratio of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺. It is suggested that it is essential to examine the defence mechanisms, specifically cell-mediated immunity in a patient showing primary laryngeal aspergillosis.