PEDIATRICS Vol. 104 No. 4 October 1999, pp. 964-966

Isolation of Stachybotrys From the Lung of a Child With Pulmonary Hemosiderosis

Received Jan 19, 1999; accepted Apr 5, 1999.

Okan Elidemir
Pediatric Pulmonology Section Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX 77030

Giuseppe N. Colasurdo

Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine University of Texas-Houston Medical School Houston, TX 77030

Susan N. Rossmann

Department of Pathology Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX 77030

Leland L. Fan

Pediatric Pulmonology Section Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX 77030

Recently, Stachybotrys atra, a toxigenic fungus, has been implicated as a potential cause of pulmonary hemorrhage/hemosiderosis in infants living in water-damaged homes. Although epidemiologic evidence supports this association, neither the organism nor its toxic products has ever been recovered from humans. We report the first case in which Stachybotrys was isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of a child with pulmonary hemorrhage. Stachybotrys was also recovered from his water-damaged home. The patient recovered completely after his immediate removal from the environment and subsequent cleaning of his home. This case provides further evidence that this fungus is capable of causing pulmonary hemorrhage in children.

 Key words:  Stachybotrys, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary hemosiderosis, children, toxigenic fungi.

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