Disseminated Histoplasmosis in a 13-year-old girl: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Disseminated histoplasmosis is a rare fungal infection and most documented cases are in immune-compromised individuals such as those with acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a case of disseminated histoplasmosis in an adolescent girl.


METHODS
We report a case of disseminated histoplasmosis in a 13-year-old adolescent girl. She was admitted for 16 days because of neck masses of 3 years duration, generalized body swelling of 3 months and reduction in urinary output of 2 months. She tested negative for human immunodeficiency virus antibodies.


RESULTS
An autopsy was performed because a definitive diagnosis could not be made while the patient was still alive. The autopsy revealed central caseating areas in the lymph nodes and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. The periodic acid-Schiff staining technique for tissues showed viable yeast cells suggestive of histoplasmosis. Zeihl-Neelsen's staining for mycobacteria tuberculosis was negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Undiagnosed case of disseminated histoplasmosis while the patient was alive is being reported in a 13-year-old girl. Disseminated histoplasmosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of childhood chronic infections and malignancies as in Nigeria.
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.
A C
AC
Ubesie
O C
OC
Okafo
N S
NS
Ibeziako
V O
VO
Onukwuli
N R
NR
Mbanefo
J C
JC
Uzoigwe
C
C
Bede
B C
BC
Ibe
D000293:Adolescent; D001344:Autopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria
Disseminated histoplasmosis; Enugu; adolescent girl; immune-competent