Introduction: Histoplasmosis can present in a myriad of clinical manifestations, which often makes its diagnosis difficult and occasionally, deceptive. Case Report: We describe a case of a 33 years old gentleman who was clinically diagnosed as acute appendicitis at initial presentation in view of a one-week history of fever, right lower quadrant abdominal pain- and guarding at right iliac fossa. He had thrombocytopenia and lymphopenia on presentation. Mesenteric lymphadenitis and small bowel lesion were found intraoperatively, which was respectively biopsied and resected. Histopathological result confirms disseminated histoplasmosis. Retroviral screen was positive. He was treated with amphotericin B for one week, subsequently switched to oral itraconazole, followed by initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Discussion: This case illustrates the various nature of histoplasmosis presentation. A high index of suspicion is needed to clinch the diagnosis and subsequently institute prompt treatment as disseminated disease can be fatal if left untreated in an immunosuppressed host.
Disseminated Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is well-characterized as a fungal disease that more commonly occurs in North America, mostly endemic in Ohio and Mississippi river valleys. The clinical spectrum of histoplasmosis ranges from asymptomatic infection to a fatal disease. Progressive disseminated histoplasmosis is typically seen in immunocompromised individuals and presents with non-specific systemic symptoms associated with cutaneous manifestations of papules and nodules.? We report a case of a 28-year old Filipino female with a history of exposure to soil activities months before consult. The patient presented with a 3-week history of erythematous macules, vesicles, and pustules over the face, arms, and trunk, which evolve into papules and plaques with hemorrhagic crusting. Patient was initially diagnosed and treated as a case of varicella but had no improvement with initial management. Histopathologic findings were consistent with histoplasmosis. The patient was started with oral itraconazole, but unexpectedly expired before any improvement in cutaneous symptoms were noted.
Disseminated histoplasmosis ; Itraconazole

Introduction: Histoplasmosis is a disease of global distribution with diverse manifestations caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. It is frequently described in severely immunocompromised and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-positive individuals. Despite being widely reported in Southeast Asia, few cases have been reported in the Philippines. Case Report: A 53-year-old Filipino male who presented with umbilicated papules resembling molluscum contagiosum, and a previous history of a left lung mass with initial complaints of cough and hemoptysis. Gram stain of his sputum revealed the presence of fungal elements, otherwise not specified. In relation to this, a fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the suspected lung mass was done. However, findings were negative for malignant cells and fungi. Dermoscopy revealed central ulceration and necrosis with faint peripheral arborizing telangiectasia and surrounding superficial scaling. Histopathologic analysis revealed a diffuse granulomatous dermatitis, and Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Grocott methenamine silver (GMS) stains showed numerous small yeast-like structures measuring approximately 3.74µm in diameter. Tissue culture of the skin lesion on the right thigh isolated fungal elements but was not specified. As histoplasmosis is an AIDS-defining infection and often found in immunocompromised states, screening for HIV was done which revealed negative results. Interestingly, disease distribution of histoplasmosis in the Philippines was frequently found in HIV-negative patients. Due to persistent serum creatinine elevation of over 300 µmol/L, renal biopsy was also done and revealed similar fungal elements. With these findings, a diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis was made. After a month of treatment with oral itraconazole, there was marked improvement of the patient’s skin lesions. Conclusion This case highlights the importance of recognizing cutaneous manifestations and maintaining a high index of suspicion for histoplasmosis in HIV-seronegative patients.
systemic fungal infections ; disseminated histoplasmosis ; itraconazole