Histoplasmosis in the Muñiz Hospital of Buenos Aires

Some epidemiological and immunological characteristics and the methodology of diagnosis of 44 cases of histoplasmosis (HP); 36 (27 males and 9 women) associated with AIDS (HP+AIDS) and 8 (7 males and 1 female) with other predisposing factors (HP+non AIDS), diagnosed in the Muñiz Hospital (MH) during 1994, were retrospectively studied. The median age (MA) of HP+AIDS patients was 28 years; 25.5 (22-40) in the women and 28.5 (20-42) in the men and 50 (22-58) years in the HP+non AIDS patients. The more frequent risk factors for HIV infection were intravenous drug addiction (55%) and homo/bisexuality (19%). The MA of these groups were 28 (20-39) and 41 (26-42) years, respectively. Tobaccoism was a predisposing factor in 83% of HP+non AIDS patients. The muco-cutaneous lesions scraping and blood-cultures established the initial diagnosis in 53% and 36% of HP+AIDS patients, respectively and the muco-cutaneous lesions biopsies in 75% of HP+non AIDS cases. At time of diagnosis, all HP+AIDS patients had ; 200 CD4 + lymphocytes/µl. Seventy two per cent of HP+AIDS patients were born in Buenos Aires (Bs As) city and 62% of HP+non AIDS patients were born in provinces of Argentina other than Bs As. At moment of diagnosis, 87.5% of HP+AIDS and 62.5% of HP+non AIDS patients lived in Bs As city and Bs As outskirts.Foram estudadas, retrospectivamente, algumas características epidemiológicas e imunológicas e a metodologia de diagnóstico de 44 casos de histoplasmose (HP); 36 (27 homens e 9 mulheres) associados com AIDS (HP+AIDS) e 8 (7 homens e 1 mulher) com outros fatores predisponentes (HP, sem AIDS), diagnosticados no Hospital Muñiz (MH) durante 1994. A idade média (MA) de pacientes com HP + AIDS foi 28 anos; 25,5 (22-40) nas mulheres e 28,5 (20-42) nos homens e 50 anos (22-58) nos pacientes HP, sem AIDS. Os fatores de risco mais frequentes para infecção pelo HIV foram uso de drogas intravenosas (55%) e homo/bissexualidade (19%). A MA destes grupos foi de 28 anos (20-39) e 41 anos (26-42), respectivamente. Tabagismo foi fator predisponente em 83% dos pacientes HP, sem AIDS. A raspagem das lesões mucocutâneas e as culturas de sangue estabeleceram o diagnóstico inicial em 53% e 36% dos pacientes HP + AIDS, respectivamente e as biopsias de lesões mucocutâneas em 75% dos casos HP, sem AIDS. No momento do diagnóstico, todos os pacientes HP + AIDS tinham menos de 200 linfócitos CD4+/µl enquanto que os pacientes HP, sem AIDS tinham mais de 200. Setenta e dois por cento dos pacientes HP + AIDS nasceram na cidade de Buenos Aires e 62% dos pacientes HP, sem AIDS nasceram em outras províncias da Argentina. No momento do diagnóstico 87,5% dos pacientes HP + AIDS e 62,5% dos pacientes HP, sem AIDS moravam na cidade de Buenos Aires e subúrbios