Histoplasma capsulatum brain infection in an aids patient

Abstract

Introduction: Histoplasmosis is an endemic fungal infection worldwide distributed. It represents a serious problem in immunocompromised hosts which can develop a severe illness rapidly progressive. In this kind of patients the problem appears as a disseminated entity. The solitary compromise of the Central Nervous System is an extremely rare form in any kind of host, immunocompetent or immunocompromised.
Clinical case: An immunocompromised woman infected by hiv-aids, reactive HCV, brain histoplasmosis and disseminated cytomegalovirus disease is presented. She had not adherence to HAART. The disease appears like gastroenteritis with polymorphous skin lesions and general symptoms with progressive clinical worsening. She developed a severe neutropenia and sensory impairment and died at last after a long confine.
Conclusions: Disseminated histoplasmosis must be considered one of differential diagnostics in patients with aids and general symptoms. In spite of its rarity and difficult diagnosis, the compromise of the nervous system must be taken into account in endemic areas in immunocompromised patients since an earlier treatment becomes on a better prognostic.