INTESTINAL HISTOPLASMOSIS IN AIDS PATIENTS - REPORT OF 3 CASES OBSERVED IN FRANCE AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

We report three cases of colonic histoplasmosis observed in a non-ende mic area in patients with AIDS. The patients presented with fever, abd ominal pain and an abdominal mass in the right lower quadrant. Diagnos is was obtained using Gomori-Crocott staining of endoscopic or surgica l biopsies. One patient died without specific treatment and two patien ts had a complete remission when treated with intravenous amphotericin B but suffered a relapse when given oral itraconazole. Thus, physicia ns in areas where intestinal histoplasmosis is not endemic should be a ware of the condition. Diagnosis can easily be obtained using Gomori-C rocott staining of colonoscopic biopsies; this should avoid unnecessar y laparotomies and allow specific treatment to be instituted rapidly.