Oral histoplasmosis in an HIV-negative patient

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Case Reports

Background:

• Histoplasmosis is a deep mycosis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, often associated with bat and bird excreta in soil.
• The disease presents with variable clinical findings, primarily pulmonary or systemic involvement.
• Upper aerodigestive tract lesions are typically linked to systemic disease, particularly in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and immunosuppression.

Observation:

• This report details a unique case of histoplasmosis affecting the oro-larynx and esophagus.
• The affected individual was HIV-seronegative and immunocompetent.
• No detectable systemic involvement was observed in this patient.

Findings:

• The case presents oro-laryngeal-esophageal histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent, HIV-seronegative patient.
• This presentation is uncommon, as upper aerodigestive tract involvement usually occurs in systemic cases or in immunocompromised individuals.
• The absence of systemic disease highlights a less typical clinical manifestation of Histoplasma capsulatum infection.

Implications:

• This case expands the known clinical spectrum of histoplasmosis, particularly in immunocompetent hosts.
• It suggests that oro-laryngeal-esophageal involvement can occur without systemic dissemination or immunosuppression.
• Further investigation may be warranted to understand the specific factors contributing to localized infections in immunocompetent individuals.