Histoplasmosis and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: A Study of Prognostic Factors

Abstract

We aimed to identify prognostic factors for AIDS-associated disseminated histoplasmosis. In a multivariate analysis, we found that dyspnea, a platelet count of <100,000 platelets/mm3, and lactate dehydrogenase levels of >2 times the upper limit of the normal range were significantly independently associated with the death of the patient during the first 30 days of antifungal treatment.

Clinical and Laboratory Profile of Persons Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Histoplasmosis from a Colombian Hospital

“…It is important to note that individuals presenting comorbidities with hepatitis B and C viruses and drug interactions were not observed in the study. Similar findings have also been reported in other studies, 9,14,18,28,30 and high AST and ALT levels frequently correlate with hepatomegaly. Splenomegaly and hepatomegaly have been reported frequently among PDH patients (10-93%) in similar cohorts from Europe, United States, Panama, French Guyana, Brazil, and Argentina.…”

“…These lesions include ulcers, papules, crusted lesions, and hyperpigmented and hypopigmented lesions. A high proportion of skin manifestations had been previously reported in studies conducted in Latin American countries such as French Guyana (13%), Panama (17%), and Brazil (43-66%), [9][10][11]14,18,30,31 in contrast to much lower rates reported among patients in the United States (1-7%). 28,29,37 Karimi and others 11 have proposed an association between these skin and mucosal lesions and genetic variations occurring in the etiological agent infecting the patient and suggest that more studies are needed to further evaluate this observation.…”

“…8 In developing countries and in some regions of the United States that include resource-poor areas, high mortality rates are reported for PLWHA who have progressive disseminated histoplasmosis (PDH). [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] For these reasons, health-care providers should be aware of the incidence of histoplasmosis in Colombia, and consider the possibility of this diagnosis in PLWHA patients with clinically compatible illness.…”

“…5,8,21,22 Histoplasmosis is a common and important public health problem in these susceptible populations. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] The aim of this study was to identify a clinical and laboratory profile associated with histoplasmosis in PLWHA that could allow early suspicion of the disease, reducing the time to diagnosis and thus the disease's high mortality rate.…”

Tuberculosis and Histoplasmosis among Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Patients: A Comparative Study

“…10 Thus, not knowing the differences between tuberculosis and histoplasmosis is a serious concern because it should strongly encourage clinicians in disease-endemic areas to conduct invasive diagnostic procedures or initiate presumptive treatment, notably in the presence of severity criteria. 16,26 Nevertheless, in addition to a high clinical suspicion index, there is a need for an affordable, specific, sensitive, user friendly, robust, rapid, equipment free, and deliverable diagnostic tool to help clinicians in low-resource countries diagnose histoplasmosis.…”