humulene and Aspergillosis

Topics: Aspergillosis; Cannabis; Humans; Lung; Lung Transplantation; Marijuana Smoking; Tissue Donors

Case reports have identified invasive fungal diseases in persons who use cannabis, and fungal contamination of cannabis has been described. In a large health insurance claims database, persons who used cannabis were 3.5 (95% CI 2.6-4.8) times more likely than persons who did not use cannabis to have a fungal infection in 2016.

Topics: Actinomycosis; Aspergillosis; Blastomycosis; Cannabis; Coccidioidomycosis; Cryptococcosis; Histoplasmosis; Humans; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Mycoses; Nocardia Infections; United States

Topics: Antitubercular Agents; Aspergillosis; Aspergillus fumigatus; Brain; Cannabis; Dexamethasone; Fatal Outcome; Female; HIV Seropositivity; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Lung; Marijuana Smoking; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Medicinal cannabis is an invaluable adjunct therapy for pain relief, nausea, anorexia, and mood modification in cancer patients and is available as cookies or cakes, as sublingual drops, as a vaporized mist, or for smoking. However, as with every herb, various microorganisms are carried on its leaves and flowers which when inhaled could expose the user, in particular immunocompromised patients, to the risk of opportunistic lung infections, primarily from inhaled molds. The objective of this study was to identify the safest way of using medicinal cannabis in immunosuppressed patients by finding the optimal method of sterilization with minimal loss of activity of cannabis. We describe the results of culturing the cannabis herb, three methods of sterilization, and the measured loss of a main cannabinoid compound activity. Systematic sterilization of medicinal cannabis can eliminate the risk of fatal opportunistic infections associated with cannabis among patients at risk.

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Adult; Antineoplastic Agents; Aspergillosis; Aspergillus; Burkitt Lymphoma; Cannabis; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Male; Medical Marijuana; Nausea; Opportunistic Infections; Pain Management; Phytotherapy; Sterilization; Vomiting; Young Adult

Topics: Aged; Antiemetics; Antifungal Agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Aspergillosis; Aspergillus fumigatus; Cannabis; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Colorectal Neoplasms; Drug Contamination; Humans; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Marijuana Smoking; Nausea; Plant Extracts; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Aspergillosis; Cannabis; Humans; Nicotiana; Opportunistic Infections; Plants, Toxic; Risk Factors; Smoking; Spores, Fungal; Tobacco Smoke Pollution

A 34-year-old man presented with pulmonary aspergillosis on the 75th day after marrow transplant for chronic myelogenous leukemia. The patient had smoked marijuana heavily for several weeks prior to admission. Cultures of the marijuana revealed Aspergillus fumigatus with morphology and growth characteristics identical to the organism grown from open lung biopsy specimen. Despite aggressive antifungal therapy, the patient died with disseminated disease. Physicians should be aware of this potentially lethal complication of marijuana use in compromised hosts.

Topics: Adult; Aspergillosis; Aspergillus fumigatus; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Cannabis; Drug Contamination; Humans; Immunosuppression Therapy; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Male; Marijuana Smoking

Bacterial and fungal contaminants have been identified in marijuana samples and thus are a potential risk factor in the immunocompromised patient using it as an antiemetic. We describe the development of an invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient using illicitly obtained marijuana as an antiemetic during combination antitumor therapy for small cell lung cancer. Although this patient had multiple risk factors implicated in the development of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, the infectious potential of inhaled marijuana must be recognized. Further study of this potential health risk in needed.

Topics: Antiemetics; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Aspergillosis; Cannabis; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Drug Contamination; Humans; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Risk

Topics: Adult; Aspergillosis; Cannabis; Female; Humans; Nasal Mucosa

A 27-year-old man who habitually smoked marihuana developed clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings consistent with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Culture of the marihuana obtained from the patient's source yielded heavy mixed growths of Aspergillus. Treatment with corticosteroids was effective.

Topics: Adult; Aspergillosis; Cannabis; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Male; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Substance-Related Disorders

Topics: Adolescent; Aspergillosis; Aspergillus fumigatus; Cannabis; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic; Humans; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Male; Phagocyte Bactericidal Dysfunction; Phagocytosis; Smoke; Soil Microbiology; Substance-Related Disorders

Topics: Adult; Amphetamine; Aspergillosis; Cannabis; Eye Diseases; Heroin; Humans; Inflammation; Injections, Intravenous; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Male; Methylphenidate; Morphine Dependence; Mycoses; Substance-Related Disorders