title: [Histoplasmosis outbreak in Morón, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina].
abstract: A histoplasmosis outbreak affecting 6 previously healthy Air Force cadets is herein presented. The patients suffered from fever and respiratory symptoms after having cleaned an abandoned hangar soiled with pigeons and bat droppings. They all presented fever, myalgia, tachypnea, and nonproductive cough. Chest X-ray and CT scan studies showed disseminated reticulonodular images affecting both lungs. Hiliar adenomegalies were also observed. All patients achieved a favourable outcome without antifungal treatment. Both serologic tests searching for specificic antibodies (immunodiffusion and counterimmunoelectrophoresis) and histoplasmin skin tests were positive in all cases. Five soil samples mixed with pigeons and bat droppings were collected from the hangar. Suspensions of these samples were inoculated into 20 hamsters by intraperitoneal injection; mycelial phase of H. capsulatum was isolated from liver and spleen cultures. The genetic profile of this strain was compared with 12 isolates obtained from Argentinean patients, and a great degree of homogeneity was observed (> 96% similarity). Although histoplasmosis is endemic in the wet Pampas, this is the first epidemic outbreak reported south of the 34th parallel.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Micología, Hospital de Infecciosas Francisco J. Muñiz, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Negroni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duré
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortiz Nareto
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Arechavala
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Maiolo
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Santiso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iovannitti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ibarra-Camou
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Canteros
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000382:microbiology; D010856:Columbidae / Q000382:microbiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005241:Feathers / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006658:Histoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006659:Histoplasmin; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D008889:Military Personnel; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012882:Skin Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D006659:Histoplasmin