Chronic necrotising pulmonary aspergillosis: a rare complication in a case of silicosis

Abstract

Chronic necrotising pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA) is a rare complication of silicosis whose diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion as it mimics tuberculosis. We report a case of a 52-year-old male with a long history of silica dust exposure and progressively increasing dyspnoea for the past eight years, productive cough, fever, weight loss for past three months and hemoptysis for preceding three weeks. Based on the clinical, radiological and microbiological evidence, he was diagnosed to be a case of CNPA with aspergilloma complicating silicosis.