Electron microscopy reveals fungal cells within tumor tissue from two African patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma.
Electron microscopic investigation of biopsy materials from Kaposi sarcoma (KS) skin lesions of 2 African AIDS patients occasionally revealed fungal cells within the tumor tissue. The spherical cells were surrounded by a triple-layered cell wall and were not encapsulated. The ultrastructural characteristics of the cells resemble those of Candida albicans organisms. Neither patient showed clinical signs of a generalized fungal infection. The presence of Candida albicans in the KS tissue specimens seems to represent an early and asymptomatic stage of cutaneous candidiasis in the 2 severely immunocompromised AIDS patients.
Marquart
Karl-Horst
KH
Institute of Molecular Virology, GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Neuherberg, Germany. wenched@ulrik.uio.no
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology