Chronic Cavitary Pulmonary Aspergillosis: An Unusual Cause of Chronic Cough, Pleuritic Chest Pain, and Hemoptysis in a 24-Year-Old Coal Mine Worker

Abstract

Pulmonary Aspergillus infections are caused by the ubiquitous fungus mold when spores found in compost, dust, and plant material are inhaled. Manifestation of the disease is represented by a delicate balance between host and pathogen interactions, making Aspergillus infection more commonly observed in immunocompromised individuals. Chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis (CCPA) is a subtype of pulmonary Aspergillosis associated with a history of chronic or prior lung disease. Here, we present the case of a non-immunocompromised 24-year-old male with a history of intermittent asthma with chronic pulmonary symptoms and a finding of a lung mass on imaging. We describe the diagnostic challenge and surgical treatment of CCPA in medically refractory disease. This case is unique because our patient is relatively young and otherwise healthy, with no associated chronic lung disease.