J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 105(12): 734-736, 2004

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Feature topic

PULMONARY INFECTION IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED HOSTS

While typical pulmonary infections can be cured with antimicrobial agents, three types require surgical lung resection: those in immunocompromised patients; those with acquired resistance to medication;and those caused by microorganisms against which there are no effective drugs. We discuss these three types from the viewpoint of physicians.
With the development of chemotherapy for malignant disease, patients with leukemia can be cured with bone marrow transplantation. During the leukopenia accompanying chemotherapy. Aspergillus sp. can infect the lungs. Aspergillus infections are resistant to antimicrobial agents, and thus surgical resection is necessary. Aspergillus infections may occur in previous sites of pulmonary tuberculosis lesions after the tuberculosis is cured producing massive hemoptysis. ln this case, surgical resection is also needed. When patients who are immunocompromised due to various underlying diseases become infected with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, they require surgical resection. Finally, when lesions of nontubercular mycobacterial infection are found, these patients also require surgical lung resection.

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