Abstract

ELORZA, Mussatyé et al. Disseminated histoplasmosis in immunocompetent children: Two-case report and literature review. Infect. [online]. 2011, vol.15, n.3, pp.191-197. ISSN 0123-9392.

Disseminated histoplasmosis in immunocompetent children predominantly affects those under 2 years old. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 17 days after exposure and the clinical presentation is exclusively acute, progressive and becomes 100% deadly if untreated. Fever, weight loss and hepatosplenomegaly are the most common symptoms and signs. Shock, ARDS, renal and hepatic failure and DIC are the death leading complications. Histopathology, culturing, serology and molecular tests, among others, make part of the diagnostic workup available. When disseminated, the treatment for histoplasmosis differs from that of other clinical presentations and itraconazole and/or amphotericin B doses used in mild to moderate infections differ from the ones used in severe infections. Due to the fact that histoplasmosis is endemic in Colombia, the following presentation of cases seeks to emphasize the importance of considering this infection as a possible diagnosis whenever new cases of children with long-term fever show up.

Keywords : Histoplasma capsulatum; histoplasmosis; children; amphotericin B.

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