Author's details
- Dr. Khashau Eleburuike
- MBBS (Ilorin) MSc. Global Health Karolinska Institute.
- Resident doctor in family medicine in Northen Sweden.
Reviewer's details
- Dr. Gboyega Olarinoye
- MBBS, FMCP.
- Dermatologist FMC Keffi Nassarawa State. Nigeria
Histoplasmosis
Background
Histoplasmosis in darker-skinned individuals typically presents as respiratory symptoms like cough, fever, and fatigue, with skin lesions that can appear as red or purple nodules, which may be more difficult to identify due to skin pigmentation. This fungal infection is caused by Histoplasma capsulatum and is commonly associated with exposure to contaminated soil, particularly in regions with a history of bird or bat droppings. Treatment involves antifungal medications such as itraconazole or amphotericin B, with more severe cases requiring prolonged therapy and close monitoring for systemic involvement.
References
- Wheat LJ, CONNOLLY-STRINGFIELD PA, BAKER RL, CURFMAN MF, EADS ME, ISRAEL KS, NORRIS SA, WEBB DH, ZECKEL ML. Disseminated histoplasmosis in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome: clinical findings, diagnosis and treatment, and review of the literature. Medicine. 1990 Nov 1;69(6):361-74.
- Samayoa B, Roy M, Cleveland AA, Medina N, Lau-Bonilla D, Scheel CM, Gomez BL, Chiller T, Arathoon E. High Mortality and Coinfection in a Prospective Cohort of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Patients with Histoplasmosis in Guatemala. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 Jul;97(1):42-48. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0009. PMID: 28719316; PMCID: PMC5508883.
- Pradeep Vittal Bhagwat and Keloji Hanumanthayya and R S Tophakhane and Ravi Munsing Rathod. Two unusual cases of histoplasmosis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals. 2009;75 2:173-6.