Fungal chokehold: Aspergillus tracheobronchitis causing tracheal obstruction in an immunocompetent adult

Aspergillus tracheobronchitis is one of the rarer but severe forms of invasive aspergillosis.It is a fungal infection confined to the tracheobronchial tree.Patients who are commonly affected are immunocompromised (solid organ transplant recipients, hematological malignancies, neutropenia, uncontrolled diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).Patients present with non-specific and persistent debilitating complaints of fever, cough, breathlessness, wheeze and stridor, not responding to standard therapy.A subset of patients however may be asymptomatic at diagnosis.But if not treated, it can progress to involve the lung parenchyma as well.Hence it becomes vital in diagnosing the condition early and treating it appropriately.