Predictors of malaria parasitaemia among internally displaced children aged 6-59 months, Abuja, Nigeria–2016

Abstract

Background: Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by Histoplasma Capsularum. It has a worldwide distribution, with a predominant prevalence in tropical and temperate zones. It is considered an important public health problem, especially in patients with acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in which poor prognosis and high mortality are evident. The objective of this study is to analyze epidemiological data and complications associated to histoplasmosis, aiming at better promotion and prevention of it.Methods & Materials: Cross-sectional, retrospective and analytical study of 27 patients diagnosed with histoplasmosis during hospitalization at Hospital Couto Maia (HCM) in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, from 2012 to 2014. The diagnosis of histoplasmosis was confirmed by visualization of the fungus by direct research, histopathological evidence at any site, isolation of the fungus in culture medium and/or tests of specific serological reactions. The medical records were reviewed, and age, color, sex, origin, marital status, histoplasmosis classification, deaths, survival time and types of infectious complications were analyzed.Results: The majority of the patients came from Salvador (59.2%). The mean age was 42.3 years, with 51.8% being less than 40 years old, predominantly male (74%), single (70.3%) and brown (74%); 66.6% presented the disseminated form of the disease, 22.2% had acute pulmonary disease and 11.1% were ignored. The most frequent infectious complications were: AIDS (92.5%), candidiasis (44.4%), sepsis (40.7%), toxoplasmosis (22.2%), cryptococcosis (14.8%), syphilis (7.4%), hepatitis B (11.1%), HTLV (7.4%), urinary tract infection (7.4%), community acquired pneumonia (7.4%), pneumocystosis and tuberculosis (7.4%). Of the deaths (66.6%), 94.4% had AIDS and 5.5% were not diagnosed with AIDS. The mean survival time of patients with histoplasmosis was 68.9 days, with AIDS patients 71.8 days and in the non-AIDS patient 20 days. Conclusion:Patients with histoplasmosis, admitted to HCM, presented the following characteristics: young adults, male sex, single, brown, disseminated form of the disease, with multiple and concomitant opportunistic infections, presenting high mortality in patients with AIDS with low time of survival.