Published online Mar 26, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i9.118800
Revised: February 11, 2026
Accepted: March 5, 2026
Published online: March 26, 2026
Processing time: 72 Days and 9.8 Hours
Aspergillus sydowii (A. sydowii) is a ubiquitous saprophytic mold that is only rarely implicated in human disease. Pulmonary infection due to A. sydowii is exceedingly uncommon, particularly in immunocompetent individuals. With increasing environmental exposure and advances in fungal diagnostic techniques, rare Aspergillus species are increasingly being recognized as causative agents of respiratory infections.
A 25-year-old immunocompetent female healthcare worker from northwestern India presented with a two-week history of persistent cough, dyspnea, and sputum production. Chest computed tomography showed focal peribronchial thickening with nodular opacities in the left lower lobe. Sputum microscopy demonstrated fungal elements, and fungal culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar yielded a mold that was identified as A. sydowii by lactophenol cotton blue mount and confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The patient was treated with oral voriconazole, resulting in marked clinical improvement.
This case highlights A. sydowii as a rare but important cause of pulmonary infection in immunocompetent individuals. Early recognition using advanced mycological techniques such as MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.
Core Tip: Pulmonary infections caused by rare Aspergillus species can occur even in immunocompetent hosts and may present with nonspecific respiratory symptoms. This case emphasizes the importance of considering uncommon fungal pathogens in persistent respiratory illness and highlights the role of advanced diagnostic tools such as MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in achieving accurate species-level identification.