Chronic Severe Laryngeal Inflammation Caused by Basidiobolomycosis

Abstract

Basidiobolomycosis is an uncommon fungal infection primarily found in plants. In humans, it typically affects the skin and gastrointestinal tract on manifestation of the infection. A 29-year-old female presented to our clinic with complaints of shortness of breath and voice changes. On examination, she exhibited severe laryngeal edema. She was initially diagnosed with type 3 hereditary angioedema with a normal C1 inhibitor and later as a case of laryngeal sarcoidosis, treatment for both conditions proved ineffective. Ultimately, after further microbiological assessment, she was diagnosed with chronic granulomatous laryngeal fungal infection caused by the Basidiobolus species. Subsequently, she displayed significant improvement with itraconazole treatment. Chronic laryngeal edema can have various underlying causes. This case underscores the importance of considering fungal pathogens, especially rare ones when assessing such conditions. In cases where the diagnosis is uncertain or standard treatments are ineffective, patient reassessment and repeated laryngeal biopsies are essential.