A fungal nightmare: A rare and deadly presentation of disseminated histoplasmosis
Amal Naji,
Martin Baxter,
Alex Kumi,
Jan Camille Ozaeta,
Nicole Onuoha,
Danhely Cruz-Vasquez,
Olawole Akinboboye,
John-Paul Papadopoulos,
Zola Nlandu
Affiliations
Amal Naji
Correspondence to: Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, 1199 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA 30606, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Martin Baxter
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Alex Kumi
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Jan Camille Ozaeta
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Nicole Onuoha
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Danhely Cruz-Vasquez
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Olawole Akinboboye
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
John-Paul Papadopoulos
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Zola Nlandu
Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional, GA, USA
Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungus commonly associated with localized pulmonary disease but can often spread to various organs causing disseminated histoplasmosis. Once the disseminated disease reaches the central nervous system (CNS), mortality rates increase significantly and can reach up to 40 %. The prognosis is frequently determined by adequate and timely diagnosis. Treatment often includes amphotericin B for a total of 4–6 weeks followed by itraconazole for at least 1 year. Herein, we present the case of a 65-year-old male who initially presented with worsening headaches and was later found to have disseminated histoplasmosis.
