CASE REPORTS HISTOPLASMOSIS OF DARLING; REPORT OF A CASE*

HISTOPLASMOSIS is a rare, anatomically widely disseminated, usually fatal fungus infection often characterized by fever, anemia, leukopenia and spleno-megaly. The condition is caused by Histoplasma capsulatum which may be found in large numbers in the reticuloendothelial cells and may be cultivated from the blood and other tissues. No specific therapy has been found. Mantell et al., as reported by Meleney,1 used a pentavalent antimony preparation (Neos-tam) possibly with some success. The fungus, H. capsulatum, has two forms. One is yeast-like and occurs in the blood and reticuloendothelial cells. The other, the mycelial form, is assumed when it is grown outside the body. This fungus has been well described by DeMonbreun.2 Blood cultures in infusion broth incubated at 37 ° C. show both types. When such cultures are plated out on blood agar and kept sealed at 37 ° C. colonies of both forms will develop. On blood dextrose agar plates made from the patient only the mycelial type of colony has been described