[African histoplasmosis in Mali]

Twenty-four cases of histoplasmosis have been diagnosed since 1945 in native Malians (20 cases) or Europeans living in Mali (4 cases). Seventeen cases have already been published and 7 other cases diagnosed recently in Bamako or Marseille are reported here. Mali is within the African histoplasmosis zone and the Kayes district may be a particularly endemic zone. The disease affected the skin (62 p. 100), lymph nodes (46 p. 100), bones (21 p. 100), gastrointestinal tract (26 p. 100) and lungs (4 p. 100). A rare lesion of the uvula is also reported. Direct fungal and histopathological techniques are the easiest and the most effective diagnostic investigations. All cases were due to Histoplasma duboisii. Amphotericin B was used in over 60 p. 100 of cases for an average period of 3 months. The total recovery rate was 66 p. 100.