Histoplasmosis in HIV-Infected Patients: Epidemiological, Clinical and Necropsy Data from a Brazilian Teaching Hospital.

Histoplasmosis occurs in 5-10% of HIV-infected patients in endemic areas and evolves to severe and disseminated infection with mortality rates over 50% in some regions. This report presents epidemiological, clinical and outcome data from HIV-infected patients with histoplasmosis confirmed by culture and/or at necropsy who were admitted to a Brazilian teaching hospital. Data from 65 patients were obtained from their respective medical and necropsy records. From 2005 to 2018, 36 HIV-infected patients were diagnosed with histoplasmosis confirmed by culture. At admission, most of these patients presented disseminated fungal infection, whereas 15 (41.7%) were simultaneously diagnosed with both HIV infection and histoplasmosis. Fever, weight loss, hepatosplenomegaly, respiratory and digestive symptoms were present in 86.2%, 50%, 44.4% and 41.7% of the patients, respectively. At admission, 24 patients had low CD4 T-cell count and high viral load values. Among the 30 patients who received antifungals, 16 (53.3%) were cured, 13 (43.3%) died, and one was lost to follow-up. Six patients died prior to therapy. From 1990 to 2018, 63 necropsies of patients with Histoplasma capsulatum infection were performed. Of these patients, 29 (46.0%) were HIV-infected individuals, including 21 (72.4%) who presented disseminated histoplasmosis and 21 (72.4%) who were diagnosed with histoplasmosis at necropsy. The epidemiological, clinical and outcome profiles presented herein are similar to those described elsewhere and reinforce the difficulties that are still present in limited-resource settings where advanced immunodeficiency, combined with severe fungal infection and late patient admissions, is related to poor outcomes.

Choroiditis in a HIV-infected patient with disseminated cryptococcal infection: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Ocular involvement in AIDS patients is a common event mainly caused by inflammation or infection. Despite the high prevalence rate of cryptococcosis in these individuals, ocular features have been occasionally described. CASE REPORT: A 20-year-old Brazilian female with HIV infection recently diagnosed was admitted with a respiratory profile presumptively diagnosed as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia; an ophthalmologic exam suggested choroiditis by this agent as well. She was complaining of headaches and blurred vision which led to cryptococcal meningitis diagnosis by a CSF positive India ink stain and Cryptococcus neoformans positive culture. Despite therapy based on amphotericin B plus fluconazole, her clinical state progressively worsened and the patient died one week later. At necropsy, disseminated cryptococcal infection was evidenced in several organs including eyes, which presented bilateral chorioretinitis. CONCLUSIONS: Cryptococcal ocular involvement in AIDS patients has been occasionally proved among the cases already reported. Thus, the post mortem exam is still pivotal to improve the quality of the clinical diagnosis, especially in limited-resource settings.

Choroiditis in a HIV-infected patient with disseminated cryptococcal infection: a case report and literature review / Coroiditis en un paciente con VIH con criptococosis diseminada: caso clínico y revisión de la bibliografía

Background: Ocular involvement in AIDS patients is a common event mainly caused by inflammation or infection. Despite the high prevalence rate of cryptococcosis in these individuals, ocular features have been occasionally described. Case report: A 20-year-old Brazilian female with HIV infection recently diagnosed was admitted with a respiratory profile presumptively diagnosed as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia; an ophthalmologic exam suggested choroiditis by this agent as well. She was complaining of headaches and blurred vision which led to cryptococcal meningitis diagnosis by a CSF positive India ink stain and Cryptococcus neoformans positive culture. Despite therapy based on amphotericin B plus fluconazole, her clinical state progressively worsened and the patient died one week later. At necropsy, disseminated cryptococcal infection was evidenced in several organs including eyes, which presented bilateral chorioretinitis. Conclusions: Cryptococcal ocular involvement in AIDS patients has been occasionally proved among the cases already reported. Thus, the post mortem exam is still pivotal to improve the quality of the clinical diagnosis, especially in limited-resource settingsl

Antecedentes: La afectación ocular en pacientes con sida es una circunstancia común provocada principalmente por procesos inflamatorios o infecciosos. A pesar de la alta prevalencia de criptococosis en estos individuos, los hallazgos oculares solo se describen ocasionalmente. Caso clínico: Una mujer brasileña de 20 años, diagnosticada poco tiempo antes de infección por el VIH, fue hospitalizada por dificultad respiratoria con el presunto diagnóstico de neumonía por Pneumocystis jirovecii; el examen oftalmológico sugirió también la existencia de coroiditis por el mismo agente etiológico. Las quejas de la paciente por cefalea y visión borrosa orientaron el diagnóstico hacia la criptococosis meníngea, confirmada por el examen directo y el crecimiento de Cryptococcus neoformans en el cultivo del líquido cefalorraquídeo. A pesar de haber comenzado un tratamiento con anfotericina B y fluconazol, el estado clínico empeoró progresivamente y la paciente falleció una semana después. La necropsia mostró criptococosis diseminada en varios órganos, incluidos los ojos, que presentaban coriorretinitis bilateral. Conclusiones: La criptococosis ocular en pacientes con VIH se ha descrito ocasionalmente en los casos publicados. Por este motivo, la necropsia todavía es fundamental para mejorar la calidad del diagnóstico clínico de esa enfermedad, especialmente en regiones con recursos limitados

Epidemiological, Clinical and Outcome Aspects of Patients with Cryptococcosis Caused by Cryptococcus gattii from a Non-endemic Area of Brazil.

Cryptococcosis by Cryptococcus gattii occurs mainly in immunocompetent hosts, however, during the last decades, a growing number of cases in immunocompromised individuals have been noticed around the world. This report presents epidemiological, clinical and outcome aspects of patients with cryptococcosis caused by this species from a non-endemic area in Brazil. Of 278 Cryptococcus spp. clinical isolates recovered during the same period, 267 (96%) were molecularly identified as Cryptococcus neoformans VNI genotype and 11 (4%) as C. gattii VGII genotype by URA-5 RFLP. Of the 11 C. gattii patients, eight were male, mean age of 47.5 years. Of these, four were HIV-infected, one was kidney transplanted, one presented low CD4+ T cells values of unknown cause, another presented chronic liver disease meanwhile the remaining four were apparently immunocompetent. Disseminated disease and cryptococcal meningitis were present in four patients each. Most patients received amphotericin B plus fluconazole. Seven out of the 11 patients cured and four died before or during the therapy. The increased number of individuals with cryptococcosis by this species during the last decades needs to be carefully evaluated specially those who are HIV-infected. Nevertheless, Cryptococcus species differentiation is currently relevant in order to better know their relation with geographical, clinical host preference and outcome particularities.