A case of gastrointestinal histoplasmosis with esophageal involvement

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, endemic to specific regions.
• Disseminated disease occurs in individuals with compromised cellular immunity, including those with HIV/AIDS.
• Commonly affected organs include lungs, liver, spleen, bone marrow, and the gastrointestinal tract.

Observation:

• Esophageal involvement in disseminated histoplasmosis is infrequent.
• Typically, esophageal compromise results from external compression by enlarged lymph nodes.
• This report details a rare instance of esophageal histoplasmosis without mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Findings:

• A case of disseminated histoplasmosis presenting with esophageal involvement is described.
• The patient had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition of impaired cellular immunity.
• Crucially, there was no evidence of mediastinal or hilar lymph node enlargement.

Implications:

• This case expands the understanding of rare esophageal manifestations of disseminated histoplasmosis.
• It underscores the importance of considering unusual presentations in immunocompromised patients.
• Highlights the need for thorough investigation even in the absence of typical radiological findings like lymphadenopathy.