Lymphnodal Co-infection of Cryptococcus and Histoplasma in a HIV-Infected Patient and Review of Published Reports

Abstract

Human infection with Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus runs the gamut from asymptomatic illness to disseminated disease. Though both are the most prevalent systemic mycoses in HIV-infected patients, simultaneous infection by both the pathogens rarely occurs. We document the first case from Asian subcontinent with concurrent infection with disseminated cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis infections in a HIV-infected Indian patient diagnosed by morphological examination of fine-needle aspiration cytology samples obtained from the enlarged lymph nodes on light microscopy and were later confirmed by culture studies. A prompt, accurate and timely diagnosis of the disseminated form of dual mycosis (or either of the mycosis as well) is of utmost importance which has obvious impact on early initiation of treatment. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is a rapid, cost-effective and reliable method to identify infection with Cryptococcus and Histoplasma and is comparable with the essential culture studies. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.