Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026
09:57
Passive Administration of Monoclonal Antibodies Against H. capsulatum and Others Fungal Pathogens
Published on: February 14, 2011
Prevalence of histoplasmosis in a midsouthern population
R J Leggiadro1, G S Luedtke, A Convey
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38103.
Southern Medical Journal
|November 1, 1991
Abstract:
We found a histoplasmin reactivity rate of 69% in a selected population of normal midsouthern adults. This prevalence is similar to that previously reported and has major clinical implications for area residents who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus and are at risk for disseminated disease with Histoplasma capsulatum.
Insights
A high rate of histoplasmin reactivity was found in midsouthern adults. This indicates a significant risk for disseminated Histoplasma capsulatum infection in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum.
- Midsouthern United States is an endemic area for histoplasmosis.
- Individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at increased risk for disseminated disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of histoplasmin reactivity in a selected population of normal midsouthern adults.
- To assess the clinical implications of this prevalence for HIV-infected individuals.
Main Methods:
- Skin testing with histoplasmin antigen was performed.
- A selected population of normal midsouthern adults was studied.
Main Results:
- A histoplasmin reactivity rate of 69% was observed in the studied population.
- This prevalence is comparable to previously reported rates.
Conclusions:
- The high prevalence of histoplasmin reactivity in midsouthern adults has significant clinical implications.
- HIV-infected residents in this area are at substantial risk for disseminated histoplasmosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection primarily caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), though herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly implicated in genital infections, particularly among younger populations. Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, with asymptomatic viral shedding serving as a major route of spread. This characteristic makes HSV-2 difficult to control at a population level, as individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus even in the...
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
01:29Malaria
Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...