Related Experiment Videos
[Disseminated histoplasmosis in pediatrics. Report of a case]
M G Miranda-Novales1, F Solorzano-Santos, H Díaz-Ponce
1Departamento de Infectología, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, D.F.
Insights
This case study details a pediatric patient with disseminated histoplasmosis, a rare fungal infection. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing this severe condition in infants.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Case Reports
Background:
- Disseminated histoplasmosis is a severe systemic fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum.
- While Histoplasma infection is common, disseminated disease is rare, occurring in about 1% of infected individuals.
- Pediatric cases are infrequently reported in medical literature.
Observation:
- A female infant presented with prolonged illness including diarrhea, malaise, fever, pallor, abdominal distention, and hepatosplenomegaly.
- Laboratory findings revealed leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia.
- Microscopic examination of bone marrow showed characteristic intracytoplasmic and extracellular bodies.
Findings:
- Bone marrow and blood cultures confirmed the presence of Histoplasma capsulatum.
- This case adds to the limited documented pediatric instances of disseminated histoplasmosis.
- The clinical presentation highlights the potential severity of Histoplasma infection in infants.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering disseminated histoplasmosis in infants presenting with prolonged febrile illness and hematologic abnormalities.
- Emphasizes the need for prompt diagnostic investigations, including bone marrow examination and cultures.
- Contributes to the understanding of Histoplasma capsulatum epidemiology and clinical manifestations in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
We report a case of a female infant, from Acapulco Guerrero, Mexico. She had been sick for 45 days, with diarrhea and general malaise, fever during the last 20 days; at physical examination she was pale, with abdominal distention and hepatosplenomegaly. She had leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia. The microscopic findings in the bone marrow sample were intracytoplasmic and extracellular bodies. Both bone marrow and blood cultures were positive for Histoplasma capsulatum. Seventy three pediatric cases of diseminated histoplasmosis have been described in the medical literature since 1934 to 1988. It is know that only about 1% of the persons that become infected will develop a diseminated disease.