Dimorphic Fungal Infections in HIV/AIDS Patients with non-TB Chronic Cough at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda

INTRODUCTION: Dimorphic fungi cause infection following inhalation of spores into the pulmonary system. In the lower respiratory tract, the conidia transform into the yeast phase which are engulfed by alveolar macrophages and may be destroyed without disease manifestation. However, in some cases they may persist and cause fungal disease characterized by formation of granulomas in the infected tissues, which may mimic MTB. OBJECTIVE: To explore if dimorphic fungi play any role in pulmonary disease among XpertTB/RIF Negative HIV Patients with chronic cough attending ISS Clinic at Mulago hospital Uganda. METHODS: Sputum samples were collected from 175 consented HIV infected patients attending ISS Clinic. Upon Xpert/RIF test at ISS Clinic 21 of these tested positive, the 154 negative sputum samples were then subjected to PCR for dimorphic fungi at MBN Clinical Laboratories. Singleplex PCR using specific primers was used to detect a target sequency in the gene of each dimorphic fungi of interest, the resulting amplicons were electrophoresed on a 2% gel then visualized under UV light. RESULTS: Blastomyces dermatitidis and Tarolomyces marneffei were detected in 16.4% of the studied participants, with 9.1% and 7.1% respectively and 83.8% of the participant sample had no dimorphic fungi. Coccidiodes immitis, Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis and Histoplasma capsulatum were not detected in any of the participants CONCLUSION: Dimorphic fungi play a role in pulmonary disease among the HIV/AIDS with non- TB chronic in Uganda.