Verruconis gallopava pulmonary infection in a patient with Cushing’s syndrome
- 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 3Division of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Abstract
Background: Verruconis gallopava is a dematiaceous mold that rarely causes human infection except in immunocompromised patients, such as those with solid organ transplants or hematologic malignancies. We describe an unusual case of pulmonary V. gallopava infection in a patient with undiagnosed Cushing’s syndrome.
Case Summary: A 48-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, along with a history of recurrent falls and uncontrolled atrial fibrillation. As part of her investigations, she was noted to have an incidental lung nodule that was progressing in size, with evidence of cavitation over a 3-month period. A transbronchial biopsy revealed histopathologic findings consistent with phaeohyphomycosis, and bronchoscopy specimens grew V. gallopava. Fungal identification was confirmed via internal transcribed spacer and D1/D2 sequencing, as well as with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. After further investigation, the patient was diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome secondary to an adrenal secretory mass and underwent left adrenalectomy, with subsequent clinical improvement. Repeat imaging following adrenalectomy showed radiographic resolution of her pulmonary nodule without initiation of antifungal treatment, consistent with clearance following immune reconstitution.
Conclusion: This is the first reported case of invasive V. gallopava infection that self-resolved following immune reconstitution and without the need for antifungal therapy. V. gallopava is a rare cause of invasive fungal disease in immunocompetent patients, and workup for possible underlying immunodeficiency should be considered in patients with V. gallopava infection.
Related
- Pulmonary infection caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica and influenza A virus coinfection in an immunocompetent patient : A case report
- Pulmonary hypertension in a patient with HHV-8-negative multicentric castleman disease and epstein-barr virus co-infection: a case report.
- A 15-year Follow-up of Persistent Pulmonary Lesions after Silicone Removal in a Patient with Silicon-induced Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome
- Adenovirus Type 11 Pneumonia Mimicking a Legionella Infection in a Patient with Bazex Syndrome and Occult Rectal Cancer
- Pulmonary Aspergillus sydowii Infection in a Patient with Pulmonary Hyalinizing Clear Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Case Report and Review of Reported Cases
BibTeX
@article{schonhofer2026verruconis,
title = {{Verruconis gallopava pulmonary infection in a patient with Cushing’s syndrome}},
author = {Cole Schonhofer and Karol Boschung and Shaqil Peermohamed and John English and Claudine Desruisseaux and Marthe K. Charles and Suefay Liu},
journal = {ASM case reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1128/asmcr.00116-26},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729744},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Verruconis gallopava pulmonary infection in a patient with Cushing’s syndrome
AU - Cole Schonhofer
AU - Karol Boschung
AU - Shaqil Peermohamed
AU - John English
AU - Claudine Desruisseaux
AU - Marthe K. Charles
AU - Suefay Liu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - ASM case reports
DO - 10.1128/asmcr.00116-26
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729744
AB - Background: Verruconis gallopava is a dematiaceous mold that rarely causes human infection except in immunocompromised patients, such as those with solid organ transplants or hematologic malignancies. We describe an unusual case of pulmonary V. gallopava infection in a patient with undiagnosed Cushing’s syndrome. Case Summary: A 48-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, along with a history of recurrent falls and uncontrolled atrial fibrillation. As part of her investigations, she was noted to have an incidental lung nodule that was progressing in size, with evidence of cavitation over a 3-month period. A transbronchial biopsy revealed histopathologic findings consistent with phaeohyphomycosis, and bronchoscopy specimens grew V. gallopava. Fungal identification was confirmed via internal transcribed spacer and D1/D2 sequencing, as well as with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. After further investigation, the patient was diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome secondary to an adrenal secretory mass and underwent left adrenalectomy, with subsequent clinical improvement. Repeat imaging following adrenalectomy showed radiographic resolution of her pulmonary nodule without initiation of antifungal treatment, consistent with clearance following immune reconstitution. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of invasive V. gallopava infection that self-resolved following immune reconstitution and without the need for antifungal therapy. V. gallopava is a rare cause of invasive fungal disease in immunocompetent patients, and workup for possible underlying immunodeficiency should be considered in patients with V. gallopava infection.
SN - 2996-2684
ER -