A clinical,pathological, and mycological study of a fatal case of histoplasmosis in an infant

Summary The clinical history of a fatal case of acute disseminated Histoplasmosis in a 3-month-old infant is described. A liver biopsy performed ante mortem revealed numerous encapsulated organisms which were identified at H.capsulatum. This suggests the applicability of this technique as a diagnostic tool. An autopsy showed extensive involvement, the organisms being found in the lungs, thymus, mediastinal and retroperitoneal nodes, liver, adrenals, spleen, and kidneys.A portion of emulsified liver was inoculated into Swiss mice andH. capsulatum was recovered from the mouse tissues 4 weeks after inoculation.A study was made of the cultural characteristic of this culture and it conformed to those previously described for other strains. A study of its fermentation properties disclosed no acid or gas production in media containing glucose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, mannose, rhamnose, trehalose, dulcitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and xylose.