Varied clinical manifestations of Penicillium marneffei in patients with human immunodeficiency virus: a report from south India

Talaromyces marneffei Outside Endemic Areas in India: an Emerging Infection with Atypical Clinical Presentations and Review of Published Reports from India

Talaromycosis is a disseminated disease caused by Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei, mainly seen in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Its distribution is restricted to southeast Asian countries; a small pocket of endemicity exists in the northeast Indian state of Manipur. Here, we present a series of five cases presenting to our tertiary care hospital, originating from non-endemic states neighboring Manipur. In addition to the geographical distinction, a variety of unique features were noted in our cases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative hosts, the absence of typical skin lesions, presentation as pneumonia and generalized lymphadenopathy. Our series highlights the importance of distinguishing this disease from histoplasmosis and tuberculosis, both endemic in India.

Penicillinosis in a HIV-positive individual

Penicillium marneffei is a dimorphic fungus, which can cause fatal infection in HIV-infected patients. The aim of this article is to report a rare case of penicillinosis in an HIV-positive patient from a nonendemic area such as Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. The patient presented with nonhealing painful ulcer on tongue, chest pain, cough, and chronic diarrhea. Diagnosis was made possible through blood investigations and culture reports of saliva and blood samples.

Rare mycoses of the oral cavity: a literature epidemiologic review

Stomatologic fungal infections display different etiologies, pathogenesis, and clinical presentations. The incidence of rare mycoses of oral cavity is very low. These infections can involve both immunocompromised and immmunocompetent patients with common predisposing factors, such as diabetes or suffering from diseases causing immune system impairment. Oral mycoses can cause acute, chronic, and mucocutaneous lesions. Candidiasis is the most common mouth mycosis. Although occasionally primary mouth pathogens, Cryptococcus spp. or filamentous fungi (Aspergillus spp. and zygomycetes) can cause oral mycoses, with the oral localization more commonly secondary to a more serious systemic infection. The diagnosis of oral mycoses is based on clinical examination; for yeasts, culture is necessary to identify the etiologic agents; for filamentous fungi, in particular for zygomycetes and dimorphic, a definitive diagnosis can be made by histologic examination and pertinent stains with or without isolation of the fungus from the same site.

Cavitary pulmonary disease

A pulmonary cavity is a gas-filled area of the lung in the center of a nodule or area of consolidation and may be clinically observed by use of plain chest radiography or computed tomography. Cavities are present in a wide variety of infectious and noninfectious processes. This review discusses the differential diagnosis of pathological processes associated with lung cavities, focusing on infections associated with lung cavities. The goal is to provide the clinician and clinical microbiologist with an overview of the diseases most commonly associated with lung cavities, with attention to the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the host.