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Processing of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and Matched Blood for Alveolar Macrophage and CD4+ T-cell Immunophenotyping and HIV Reservoir Assessment
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Processing of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and Matched Blood for Alveolar Macrophage and CD4+ T-cell Immunophenotyping and HIV Reservoir Assessment

Published on: June 23, 2019

Pulmonary Sporothrix schenckii infection in a HIV positive child

Steven F J Callens1, Faustin Kitetele, Pauline Lukun

  • 1Pediatric Hospital Kalembe Lembe, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. callens@email.unc.edu

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
|November 18, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Sporothrix schenckii can cause rare, severe lung infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. This case highlights successful treatment of invasive pulmonary sporotrichosis in an HIV-infected child in Sub-Saharan Africa using oral fluconazole.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health in Africa

Background:

  • Sporothrix schenckii typically causes localized skin infections, but disseminated disease, including pulmonary involvement, is a concern in immunocompromised patients.
  • Pulmonary sporotrichosis is uncommon and often has a poor treatment response.
  • The epidemiology of Sporothrix schenckii in Sub-Saharan Africa remains poorly understood.

Observation:

  • A case of invasive pulmonary sporotrichosis is presented in an 11-year-old HIV-infected boy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • The patient presented with a rare and severe manifestation of the fungal infection.

Findings:

  • The invasive pulmonary sporotrichosis in this pediatric patient was successfully treated with oral fluconazole.
  • This demonstrates a viable therapeutic option for a challenging clinical presentation.

Implications:

  • This case expands the understanding of Sporothrix schenckii pathogenicity in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Successful treatment with oral fluconazole offers a potential management strategy for similar cases in resource-limited settings.
  • Highlights the importance of considering fungal infections in immunocompromised children presenting with respiratory symptoms.

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