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J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis.

V.20, 2014.

Case report - ISSN 1678-9199.

 

Importance of the association of molecular and immunological diagnosis in immunocompetent patient with Histoplasma capsulatum andCryptoccocus neoformans infection: a case report

 
Kátia Cristina Dantas 1 , Roseli Santos de Freitas2, Roberta Scholz Pinto Garcia2, Marcos Vinícius da Silva3, Edna Cleide Mendes Muricy2, Valdelene Sayuri Kohara4, Adriana Pardini Vicentini4

1Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil

2Laboratory of Medical Mycology – LIM 53/HCFMUSP and Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil

3Emílio Ribas Infectious Diseases Institute, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil

4Immunology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 11° andar, sala 1117, São Paulo, São Paulo State 01246-902, Brazil

ABSTRACT

This case reports an immunocompetent 29-year-old woman with suspected pneumonia, suggestive of fungal infection. Immunoblotting analysis reactivity against Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensiswere observed. Nested-PCR in blood employing species-specific primers was positive for H. capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans. The evaluation of paucisymptomatic patients with positive results for H. capsulatum and C. neoformans could be relevant for the prevention as well as the possible evaluation of the reactivated quiescent foci. In conclusion, the associated methodology may have contributed to the monitoring endogenous reactivation of these diseases.

 

Key words: Immunocompetent individuals; Nested PCR; Immunoblotting; Fungal infections; Blood fluid

 

Received: February 18, 2014; Revised: August 14, 2014; Accepted: August 26, 2014

 

Corresponding author: Adriana P Vicentini apardini@ial.sp.gov.br

 

Competing interests

The authors declare that there are no competing interests.

 

Authors’ contributions

MVC described the case. KCD, RSF, RSPG, ECMM and VSK conducted laboratory evaluations (mycological, immunological and molecular assays). KCD and RSF drafted the first version of the article. KCD, RSF, MVS and APV made a critical revision of the text. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.