Fatal histoplasmosis in a non-HIV patient in French Guiana

Histoplasmosis is an endemic fungal infection that causes no symptoms or minor self-limited illnesses in most cases. Severe forms are commonly reported in patients with immunodeficiency disorders; histoplasmosis is considered to be an opportunistic infection in patients with AIDS. We report a case of disseminated histoplasmosis in a patient with no induced active suppression of the immune response. The infection was fulminant, and antifungal treatment was delayed because of a misdiagnosis of tuberculosis.