International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 20, Number 6 > Pp. 429-430

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Case reports

Recurrent histoplasmosis in AIDS mimicking a colonic carcinoma

G Aisenberg MD, L A Marcos MD and I Ogbaa MD 

Internal Medicine Department, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA

Correspondence to: I Ogbaa MD, The University of Texas Division of Internal Medicine, 6431 Fannin, MSB 1.122, Houston, TX 77030, USA Email: Ikenna.Ogbaa{at}uth.tmc.edu

The prevalence rate of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with AIDS is around 2.6%. A 42-year-old woman with AIDS (CD₄ count 9/µL) and recently treated for disseminated histoplasmosis presented to the emergency room with melena, severe anaemia and fever. A colonoscopy showed an umbilicated colonic nodule mimicking a carcinoma of the colon. The biopsy showed intracytoplasmic microorganisms compatible with Histoplasma capsulatum. She had poor compliance to the itraconazole when discharge on previous admission. Despite the fact that colonic histoplasmosis is uncommon, the mortality rate is around 8% and clinicians should be aware of the clinical presentation of histoplasmosis when recur, especially in patients not taking the itraconazole for long-term treatment.

Key Words: histoplasmosis • AIDS • colon

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