Disseminated histoplasmosis as a presenting manifestation in an HIV patient – A case report from South India

Histoplasmosis has heterogenous clinical presentation ranging from mild and self-limiting respiratory disease to disseminated forms with high mortality. In progressive disseminated histoplasmosis (PDH), patient presents with fever, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, adrenal enlargement, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and non-specific mucocutaneous lesions, usually in late stage of HIV. Cutaneous involvement is upto 25% in PDH which are papules, plaques, nodules and ulcers. Forty-two year old male, recently diagnosed as HIV positive presented with complaints of multiple painful ulcerated lesions over face, neck, tongue, arms, trunk & genitalia. Skin Biopsy was suggestive of histoplasmosis. Patient showed excellent response with amphotericin B and itraconazole. Since histoplasmosis is relatively uncommon, there should be a high-index of suspicion when an HIV patient presents with disseminated skin lesions.