Childhood histoplasmosis in Colombia : Clinical and laboratory observations of 45 patients

ABSTRACT: Histoplasmosis is an important mycosis in the Americas; and in children with no immune system abnormalities, histoplasmosis is typically a self-limited process. In contrast, in children with immune problems, disease manifestations are frequently more severe and include dissemination. From 1984 to 2010, a retrospective study of paediatric patients who had been diagnosed with histoplasmosis was performed. A total of 45 pediatric cases of histoplasmosis were identified. The most important risk factor was malnutrition (37%), followed by environmental exposure (33%). The patients exhibited pulmonary infiltrates (83%), fever (76%), cough, constitutional symptoms (38%), headache (35%), and lymph node hypertrophy (33%). Concerning the clinical forms, 64% of the patients presented with the progressive disseminated form that frequently affected the central nervous system (48%). Diagnostic laboratory tests indicated that the cultures were positive for 80% of the patients, the agar gel immunodiffusion was reactive in 95%, the M band of the precipitate was more commonly observed (81%), and the complement fixation tests were reactive in 88% of the patients. The timely diagnosis of histoplasmosis is important, and for this reason, it is hoped that the results of this study will lead pediatricians toward a better understanding of this mycosis in children.

• Autores: López Cano, Luisa Fernanda; Valencia, Yorlady; Tobón Orozco, Ángela María; Velásquez, Oscar; Santa Escobar, Cristian David; Cáceres Contreras, Diego Hernando; Restrepo Moreno, Ángela; Cano Restrepo, Luz Elena
• Tipo de recurso: Article of investigation
• Fecha de publicación: 2016
• Institución: Universidad de Antioquia
• Repositorio: Repositorio UdeA
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:bibliotecadigital.udea.edu.co:10495/24128
• Acceso en línea: http://hdl.handle.net/10495/24128
• Palabra clave: Histoplasmosis; Histoplasmosis; Diagnosis; Diagnóstico; Children; Niños
• Rights: openAccess
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/co/