Marked elevation of the serum ferritin is highly specific for disseminated histoplasmosis in AIDS

Disseminated skin lesions in a patient with AIDS

“…9,15,16 Hyperferritinaemia (serum ferritin levels exceeding 1,500 µg/L) has been associated in the past with DH. 17 Various authors have alluded to ferritin levels in excess of 10,000 µg/L, as a highly specific marker for DH. 17 In the current clinical case, the patient did present with a markedly elevated level, although much lower than described in these reports.…”

“…17 Various authors have alluded to ferritin levels in excess of 10,000 µg/L, as a highly specific marker for DH. 17 In the current clinical case, the patient did present with a markedly elevated level, although much lower than described in these reports. Hyperferritinaemia seems to have a significantly different epidemiology in South Africa, where the most common infectious cause seems to be disseminated infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.…”

EVALUATION OF SERUM FERRITIN AND SERUM IRON IN FREE-RANGING BLACK RHINOCEROS (DICEROS BICORNIS) AS A TOOL TO UNDERSTAND FACTORS AFFECTING IRON-OVERLOAD DISORDER

“…A ferritin concentration of up to 400 000 µg/l has been reported in children (79,80) and adults (81). Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may also have a reactive haemophagocytosis syndrome and high concentrations may also occur in AIDS sufferers with disseminated histoplasmosis (82).…”

Significance of extremely elevated ferritin level in medical inpatients

“…Hereditary hypreferritinemia-cataract syndrome is a rare genetic syndrome associated with increased serum ferritin and no iron overload [12]. Extremely high serum ferritin exceeding 5,000 to 10,000ng/mL are traditionally associated with adult-onset Still's disease [13,14] and disseminated histoplasmosis and tuberculosis in HIV patients [15,16]. However, in the setting of hospitalized patients the diagnostic and prognostic utility of extremely elevated ferritin levels is less apparent.…”