[Current status of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis in HIV infected patients in a third level hospital in Peru].

BACKGROUND: Progressive disseminated histoplasmosis (PDH) is an endemic disease in most of Latin America, especially among patients with HIV. There are few reports about this disease in Peru.

AIMS: To describe the clinical, epidemiological and mycological features of patients with PDH and HIV evaluated in a tertiary hospital.

METHODS: A retrospective study to find out the data of patients diagnosed with PDH and HIV in the period 2000-2019 was carried out. For the statistical analysis of quantitative variables, measures of central tendency and dispersion were used; for the qualitative variables, absolute and relative frequencies were used.

RESULTS: Forty-three male patients with PDH were diagnosed in the study period, with a median age of 33 years (IQR: 29-38 years) and a median CD4 lymphocytes count of 39cells/mm3 (IQR: 20-83 cells/mm3 ). Eighty six percent of the patients were born or had travelled to the jungle, 58.1% were alcohol users and 16.1% had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. When compared to histopathology, the culture had a better sensitivity to achieve a diagnosis (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Peruvian patients with PDH and HIV infection were mainly young male adults that were born or had travelled to the jungle, with a CD4 count below 100cells/mm3 . In patients with the described characteristics it would be advisable to check for PDH. Implementing rapid diagnostic tests is also necessary.