Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis in a Patient with Kartagener\'s Disease: An Unusual Association

Abstract

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a congenital disorder characterized by abnormal ciliary motility with associated impaired mucociliary clearance. When PCD has associated situs inversus, it is known as Kartagener's disease. Due to recurrent sinopulmonary infections, patients of Kartagener's disease develop bronchiectasis. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an allergic disorder characterized by exaggerated immune response to the fungus Aspergillus. Patients with ABPA also develop bronchiectasis in advanced stages. Here, we report a patient of Kartagener's disease who also had coexisting ABPA. We believe such an association has been reported in just a handful of cases. As Kartagener's disease can be easily diagnosed radiologically and bronchiectasis is a feature of Kartagener's disease, many of these patients do not undergo further evaluation. In reporting this rare occurrence, we believe many such associations will be revealed in future.