Fungal Granulomatous Thyroiditis in A Renal Transplant Recipient

Abstract

Fungal granulomatous thyroiditis is a relatively rare entity. Aspergillus is the fungus that most commonly affects the thyroid gland and is generally missed until autopsy. Aspergillus granulomatous thyroiditis diagnosed antemortem and treated in renal transplant recipient patients are extremely rare. We report a 35-year-old female renal transplant recipient who presented with fever, generalized weakness, and loss of appetite; her clinical examination revealed a left thyroid lobe nodule. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) microscopic examination of the nodule revealed fungal granulomatous thyroiditis. Subsequent examination of FNAC material with special stain Gomori`s Methenamine Silver (GMS), 10% KOH (potassium hydroxide) mounting, and culture confirmed the presence of fungus Aspergillus flavus. This case emphasizes the need for thorough clinical examination and the utility of FNAC in examining thyroid nodules. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 11(4):234-238.

Keywords

• Granulomatous fungal thyroiditis
• Aspergillus species
• Fine-needle aspiration cytology

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