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Narra J Dec 2023Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the dimorphic fungus , which in chronic conditions, is generally difficult to distinguish from pulmonary tuberculosis...
Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the dimorphic fungus , which in chronic conditions, is generally difficult to distinguish from pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) based on its clinical appearance; therefore, diagnostic errors could occur. Meanwhile, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant pulmonary TB (MDR-TB) in Indonesia remains high. Study determining the incidence of histoplasmosis in MDR-TB is unavailable worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of histoplasmosis incidence in MDR-TB patients in Indonesia. A cross-sectional was conducted at H. Adam Malik General Hospital, Medan, Indonesia and the ELISA platform (semi-quantitative) was used to detect histoplasma antibodies. Factors associated with histoplasmosis incidence among MDR-TB were determined using a Chi-squared test. A total of 50 MDR-TB patients were included this study of which 14 of them (28%) had histoplasmosis. The majority of histoplasmosis occurred in males, in MDR-TB patients with a history of TB treatment and among who had chest x-rays with far-advanced lesions. However, statistical analyses indicated none of those factors (sex, TB treatment history, status of the lung) as well as age group, acid-fast bacillus result, culture result, having pet, living in damp house, working in the field or plantation, having HIV infection and smoking status were associated with histoplasmosis incidence. This study highlights that the incidence of histoplasmosis is relatively high and therefore further studies are important to be conducted in Indonesia that has a high MDR-TB cases.
PubMed: 38450334
DOI: 10.52225/narra.v3i3.403 -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases Mar 2024Geographically endemic fungi can cause significant disease among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We provide an update on the epidemiology, clinical... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Geographically endemic fungi can cause significant disease among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We provide an update on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and outcomes of 5 endemic mycoses in SOT recipients.
METHODS
Multiple databases were reviewed from inception through May 2023 using key words for endemic fungi (eg, coccidioidomycosis or histoplasmosis or etc). We included adult SOT recipients and publications in English or with English translation.
RESULTS
Among 16 cohort studies that reported on blastomycosis (n = 3), coccidioidomycosis (n = 5), histoplasmosis (n = 4), and various endemic mycoses (n = 4), the incidence rates varied, as follows: coccidioidomycosis, 1.2%-5.8%; blastomycosis, 0.14%-0.99%; and histoplasmosis, 0.4%-1.1%. There were 204 reports describing 268 unique cases of endemic mycoses, including 172 histoplasmosis, 31 blastomycosis, 34 coccidioidomycosis, 6 paracoccidioidomycosis, and 25 talaromycosis cases. The majority of patients were male (176 of 261 [67.4%]). Transplanted allografts were mostly kidney (192 of 268 [71.6%]), followed by liver (n = 39 [14.6%]), heart (n = 18 [6.7%]), lung (n = 13 [4.9%]), and combined kidney-liver and kidney-pancreas (n = 6 [2.7%]). In all 5 endemic mycoses, most patients presented with fever (162 of 232 [69.8%]) and disseminated disease (179 of 268 [66.8%]). Cytopenias were frequently reported for histoplasmosis (71 of 91 [78.0%]), coccidioidomycosis (8 of 11 [72.7%]) and talaromycosis (7 of 8 [87.5%]). Graft loss was reported in 12 of 136 patients (8.8%). Death from all-causes was reported in 71 of 267 (26.6%); half of the deaths (n = 34 [50%]) were related to the underlying mycoses.
CONCLUSIONS
Endemic mycoses commonly present with fever, cytopenias and disseminated disease in SOT recipients. There is a relatively high all-cause mortality rate, including many deaths that were attributed to endemic mycoses.
PubMed: 38444820
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae036 -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases Mar 2024Invasive fungal disease caused by dimorphic fungi is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Super-bioavailability itraconazole (SUBA-itra) is a novel...
BACKGROUND
Invasive fungal disease caused by dimorphic fungi is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Super-bioavailability itraconazole (SUBA-itra) is a novel antifungal agent with pharmacokinetic advantages over currently available formulations. In this prospective comparative study, we report the outcomes of patients with endemic fungal infections (histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and sporotrichosis).
METHODS
This open-label randomized trial evaluated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics SUBA-itra compared with conventional itraconazole (c-itra) treatment for endemic fungal infections. An independent data review committee determined responses on treatment days 42 and 180.
RESULTS
Eighty-eight patients were enrolled for IFD (SUBA-itra, n = 42; c-itra, n = 46) caused by (n = 51), (n = 18), (n = 13), or (n = 6). On day 42, clinical success was observed with SUBA-itra and c-itra on day 42 (in 69% and 67%, respectively, and on day 180 (in 60% and 65%). Patients treated with SUBA-itra exhibited less drug-level variability at days 7 ( = .03) and 14 ( = .06) of randomized treatment. The concentrations of itraconazole and hydroxyitraconazole were comparable between the 2 medications ( = .77 and = .80, respectively). There was a trend for fewer adverse events (AEs; 74% vs 87%, respectively; = .18) and serious AEs (10% vs 26%; = .06) in the SUBA-itra-treated patients than in those receiving c-itra. Serious treatment-emergent AEs were less common in SUBA-itra-treated patients (12% vs 50%, respectively; < .001).
CONCLUSIONS
SUBA-itra was bioequivalent, well tolerated, and efficacious in treating endemic fungi, with a more favorable safety profile than c-itra.
CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION
NCT03572049.
PubMed: 38440302
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae010 -
Cureus Feb 2024causes symptoms in fewer than 5% of infected people, with most recovering without treatment two to three weeks after the onset of symptoms. Progressive disseminated...
causes symptoms in fewer than 5% of infected people, with most recovering without treatment two to three weeks after the onset of symptoms. Progressive disseminated histoplasmosis in adults occurs most often in persons with underlying immunodeficiency. We present a case of a 65-year-old caucasian male without any known immune defect from North Alabama, United States, presenting with chronic tongue ulcer and constitutional symptoms. CT and positron emission tomography scans showed disseminated infection with pulmonary nodule, oral/buccal lesions, and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. The patient's left adrenal gland and tongue were biopsied and stains confirmed the presence of histoplasmosis in both samples. The patient was treated with isavuconazole off-label as per the United States FDA. The patient tolerated the therapy well and had symptomatic improvement. A follow-up CT scan showed improvement and resolution of adrenal masses.
PubMed: 38440015
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.53495 -
Medical Mycology Case Reports Mar 2024Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to infection is rare and almost always occurs in immunocompromised hosts. We report a 32-year-old immunocompetent man...
Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to infection is rare and almost always occurs in immunocompromised hosts. We report a 32-year-old immunocompetent man presenting with a nonspecific febrile illness found to have disseminated histoplasmosis and associated haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. The diagnosis was confirmed on histopathological examination and PCR of liver and bone marrow biopsies. He was successfully treated with steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin and itraconazole.
PubMed: 38425787
DOI: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2024.100635 -
Microbiology Spectrum Apr 2024var (HCF) is a dimorphic fungus that causes epizootic lymphangitis in equids. Current diagnostic approaches, including culture, microscopy, and clinical presentation,...
UNLABELLED
var (HCF) is a dimorphic fungus that causes epizootic lymphangitis in equids. Current diagnostic approaches, including culture, microscopy, and clinical presentation, lack speed, sensitivity, and specificity when diagnosing clinical cases. In this study, equine blood and pus samples on Whatman FTA cards from Senegal ( = 3), The Gambia ( = 19), Ethiopia ( = 16), and Mali ( = 13) were tested using a real-time PCR (qPCR) protocol. The assay was optimized and tested for its suitability to detect and quantify HCF in blood and pus loaded onto Whatman FTA cards at sampling. Whatman FTA cards were tested for their suitability for use with qPCR and were found to recover DNA more efficiently than from direct extraction. Using TaqMan fluorescent probes and specific primers, the assay demonstrated 100% analytical specificity when detecting multiple strains of and no false positives with off-target organisms. The assay's diagnostic performance was measured against an existing nested internal transcribed spacer PCR protocol using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The test was found to have a diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 71.4%, respectively, when analyzing pus samples using a cycle threshold (Ct) cutoff determined by Youden's index (27.75). Blood sample cutoff Ct value was proposed at 34.55. Further optimization is required to improve the performance of the protocol when applied to blood samples. This study has, for the first time, demonstrated the ability to detect and quantify the DNA of spp. in equine blood and pus samples with a high degree of accuracy, providing a platform to further investigate the pathogenesis and epidemiology of this disease.
IMPORTANCE
Histoplasmosis is a neglected yet major cause of morbidity and mortality in both equids and people in resource-scarce settings. One of the major hindrances to the control of histoplasmosis is a lack of readily available diagnostic tests. Tests are needed to support clinical decision-making and to be applied in population-based research to further understand this disease . This paper reports, for the first time, the validation and application of a qPCR to detect directly from equine clinical samples, bypassing the need to culture this notoriously difficult organism. We report and comment on the performance of the qPCR in comparison with our previously developed nested PCR.
Topics: Horses; Animals; Humans; Histoplasma; Histoplasmosis; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Nucleic Acids; DNA, Fungal; Suppuration
PubMed: 38411051
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03100-23 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024, the etiological agent for histoplasmosis, is a dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold in the environment and as a yeast in human tissues. It has a broad global... (Review)
Review
, the etiological agent for histoplasmosis, is a dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold in the environment and as a yeast in human tissues. It has a broad global distribution with shifting epidemiology during recent decades. While in immunocompetent individuals infection is usually self-resolving, solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of symptomatic disease with dissemination to extrapulmonary tissue. Diagnosis of histoplasmosis relies on direct observation of the pathogen (histopathology, cytopathology, and culture) or detection of antigens, antibodies, or nucleic acids. All transplant recipients with histoplasmosis warrant therapy, though the agent of choice and duration of therapy depends on the severity of disease. In the present article, we describe the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical manifestations and management of histoplasmosis in solid organ transplant recipients.
PubMed: 38392796
DOI: 10.3390/jof10020124 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... Jan 2024Fungi play a vital role in ensuring a physiological balance in the surrounding environments, interacting closely with humans, plants, and animals. While most of the time... (Review)
Review
Fungi play a vital role in ensuring a physiological balance in the surrounding environments, interacting closely with humans, plants, and animals. While most of the time their contribution is beneficial, occasionally, they can become harmful, especially in patients with weakened immune systems. The work at hand aims to present the most common fungal pathogens involved in invasive infections, focusing on fungi that are present in the tropical and temperate areas of the world. While in the former, due to the humid climate, most fungal infections are caused by dimorphic fungi such as Coccidioides spp., Blastomyces spp., Histoplasma spp., Emergomyces spp. and Paracoccidioides spp., in the latter, after Candida spp., the most frequent fungi that are involved in disseminated mycosis are Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp. and species from the order Mucorales. Nowadays, the etiology, severity, and number of cases of fungal diseases are starting to rise significantly. There are no exact reasons reported for this increase, but several factors are thought to be incriminated: the expansion of the range of medical conditions that constitute risk factors for developing the disease, an improvement in the available diagnostic methods, the commodity offered by modern traveling services associated with the lack of an available vaccine against fungal infections, as well as climatic influences. All the above-mentioned aspects consequently caused infections that used to be endemic to be spread worldwide. Therefore, it is of critical importance to understand the epidemiology, clinical manifestations of fungi induced diseases, virulence factors, and diagnosis for each of those pathogens.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Fungi; Mycoses; Aspergillus; Candida
PubMed: 38377080
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.18206 -
Indian Journal of Dermatology 2023Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is an uncommon systemic lymphoproliferative disorder that comprises approximately one-fifth of all mature peripheral T-cell...
'Generalised Pruritus with Prurigo-Like Lesions and Generalised Lymphadenopathy: Could be an Early Diagnostic Clue for Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma (AITL) and/or Histoplasmosis'.
Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is an uncommon systemic lymphoproliferative disorder that comprises approximately one-fifth of all mature peripheral T-cell lymphomas. A broad range of cutaneous manifestations include maculopapular, papulovesicular, erythrodermic, urticarial, plaque-like and nodular, and they are mentioned in 50% of patients and may precede systemic symptoms, which include lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and constitutional symptoms. Histoplasmosis is a common granulomatous infection worldwide caused by , a dimorphic fungus. Cutaneous manifestations are reported to occur in 10% to 25% of immunosuppressed patients with disseminated histoplasmosis. Generalised pruritus as a presenting feature is rarely described in both of these entities. We report a unique case of AITL with histoplasmosis discovered during paraclinical assessment of generalised pruritus (? neurodermatitis) with prurigo-like lesions and lymphadenopathy.
PubMed: 38371550
DOI: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_974_22 -
Brazilian Journal of Microbiology :... Jun 2024Histoplasmosis is commonly observed in AIDS patients as a neglected opportunistic disease that has an important relationship with environmental factors. The present...
Histoplasmosis is commonly observed in AIDS patients as a neglected opportunistic disease that has an important relationship with environmental factors. The present study described the clinical characteristics of HIV/AIDS patients diagnosed with disseminated histoplasmosis in a tertiary healthcare facility in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, and evaluated the patients' homes and urban environmental samples as a source of exposure to Histoplasma capsulatum. A review of medical records from 2017 to 2019 of patients with HIV/AIDS associated with histoplasmosis was carried out, as well as the collection of environmental samples in the homes of these patients. These samples were subjected to DNA extraction and then subjected to qPCR. A total of 62 patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and histoplasmosis were identified, which corresponds to 4.5% (n = 62/1372) of the HIV/AIDS cases detected in the period. Of these, 68% (n = 42/62) were male, with a mean age of 36 years and low education. In 47% (n = 29/62) of the cases, the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and histoplasmosis occurred simultaneously. Mortality was 45% (n = 28/62), and 68% (n = 42/62) of these patients did not regularly use highly active antiretroviral therapy. The main symptoms found were respiratory, gastrointestinal, and weight loss, and in 81% (n = 50/62), the place of residence was in an urban area. A total of 57 environmental samples were analyzed, and the presence of Histoplasma capsulatum was not detected in any of the analyzed samples. There was a high mortality rate in the studied group of patients with AIDS and histoplasmosis. Most patients reported residing in urban areas of Manaus, with no history of travel to other areas previously known as being high risk for histoplasmosis.
Topics: Humans; Histoplasmosis; Brazil; Male; Adult; Female; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Middle Aged; Histoplasma; HIV Infections; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Young Adult; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 38368282
DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01277-2