PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - D H McKee
AU  - P N Cooper
AU  - D W Denning
TI  - Invasive aspergillosis in a patient with MELAS syndrome
AID  - 10.1136/jnnp.68.6.765
DP  - 2000 Jun 01
TA  - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
PG  - 765--767
VI  - 68
IP  - 6
4099  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/68/6/765.short
4100  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/68/6/765.full
SO  - J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry2000 Jun 01; 68
AB  - Invasive infection with the opportunistic fungusAspergillus fumigatuspredominantly affects people with impaired cell mediated immunity. The case of a 31 year old woman with no identified cause for immunosuppression who presented with severe refractory aspergillosis of the paranasal sinuses is reported. She subsequently developed clinical and molecular evidence of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like events (MELAS) syndrome. It is proposed that MELAS syndrome may represent an unusual risk factor for the development of invasive aspergillosis and mechanisms are supported by which mitochondrial dysfunction may predispose to this.