Pulmonary histoplasmoma: a disguised malady

Authors

  • Paulo Marcelo Pontes Gomes de Matos Universidade de São Paulo, School of Medicine Internal, Medicine Department https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6876-3181
  • Aloisio Felipe-Silva Universidade de São Paulo, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology
  • José Pinhata Otoch Universidade de São Paulo, School of Medicine, Department of Surgery

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4322/acr.2018.065

Keywords:

Histoplasmosis, Fungal, Lung Diseases, Granulomatous Diseases, Chronic

Abstract

Histoplasmosis is a mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum, which is transmitted via dust and aerosols. Lung involvement is the most common, with a varied clinical presentation. Although it is not the only source of infection, H. capsulatum is frequently found in bat guano, which is the reason why it is highly prevalent among caving practitioners. The solitary histoplasmoma of the lung is an unusual and chronic manifestation of this entity, which mimics, or at least is frequently misconstrued, as a malignancy. Almost invariably, the diagnosis of this type of histoplasmosis presentation is achieved after lung biopsy. The authors present the case of a young woman who sought medical care because of chest pain. The diagnostic work-up revealed the presence of a pulmonary nodule. She was submitted to a thoracotomy and wedge pulmonary resection. The histologic analysis rendered the diagnosis of histoplasmoma. Thisreport aims to call attention to this diagnosis as the differential diagnosis of a pulmonary nodule.

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Published

2019-10-07

Issue

Section

Article / Clinical Case Report

How to Cite

Pulmonary histoplasmoma: a disguised malady. (2019). Autopsy and Case Reports, 8(4), e2018065. https://doi.org/10.4322/acr.2018.065