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Passive Administration of Monoclonal Antibodies Against H. capsulatum and Others Fungal Pathogens

Published on: February 14, 2011

A rare case of Histoplasma fungemia in an AIDS patient

V P Baradkar1, U Tendolkar, S Baveja

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Sion, Mumbai 400 020, India. vasantbaradkar@yahoo.com

Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology
|June 10, 2011
PubMed

Insights

This study reports the rare isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from the blood of an acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient in India. Despite treatment, the patient succumbed to disseminated histoplasmosis.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunocompromised Host Research

Background:

  • Disseminated histoplasmosis is infrequently documented in India, particularly in individuals with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
  • Previous reports primarily involved isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from bone marrow, lymph nodes, or spleen biopsies.

Observation:

  • A 30-year-old male with AIDS presented with prolonged fever, anorexia, and nausea.
  • Bone marrow examination revealed intracellular and extracellular budding yeast cells, suggestive of fungal infection.
  • Histoplasma capsulatum was subsequently confirmed through blood cultures.

Findings:

  • This case marks a rare instance of Histoplasma capsulatum isolation directly from the blood in an Indian AIDS patient.
  • The fungus was identified following clinical and initial bone marrow findings.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering disseminated fungal infections, like histoplasmosis, in immunocompromised patients presenting with non-specific symptoms.
  • Emphasizes the diagnostic value of blood cultures for Histoplasma in disseminated disease, even when other sites are not sampled.
  • Underscores the challenges in managing disseminated histoplasmosis in advanced AIDS, even with antifungal therapy.

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