Coccidioides immitis

Record number: 
647
Adverse Occurrence type: 
MPHO Type: 
Time to detection: 
4 weeks
Alerting signals, symptoms, evidence of occurrence: 
63 yr old male cadaveric kidney recipient developed transient rejection at 4 weeks, fever 38C for three days and positive urine culture at 7 weeks after surgery. Approximately 3 months after transplant he developed fever 39.1C, drowsiness, grand mal seizures and became comatose. A head CT showed a round mass in the lateral ventricle. CSF culture was negative. Brain surgery showed fungal microabscess due to Coccidiodes immitis by PCR (culture not done). The patient died 2 months later, approximately 4 months after transplant. No evidence of pulmonary infection.The donor had no evidence of infection; the other three organ recipients remained well.
Demonstration of imputability or root cause: 
Level 2 Possible Coccidiodes immitis abscess in brain in recipient but no evidence in donor of infection. The other 3 organ recipients did not develop same infection