Sudden onset of verrucous plaques to the face and trunk: a case of cutaneous histoplasmosis in the setting of HIV.

Overview

A 66-year-old Columbian man presented with a 15-day history of generalized weakness, cough, fever, and verrucous, ulcerating plaques of the face, upper chest and back, and arms. The patient proved to be HIV positive. Histopathologic examination showed a diffuse lymphocytic infiltrate coupled with a striking number of yeast forms within macrophages. The clinical presentation and histopathologic alterations are consistent with the diagnosis disseminated Histoplasma capsulatum. This case emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness of histoplasmosis in nonendemic areas as a result of the large subgroup of immunocompromised patients at risk. Disseminated histoplasmosis can be a treatable HIV complication if recognized early, though is unfortunately a harbinger for an overall poor prognosis.