HISTOPLASMOSIS DUE TO HISTOPLASMA-CAPSULATUM VAR DUBOISII IN SENEGAL,2 CASES WITH ONE ASSOCIATED WITH HTLV1 INFECTION

The authors report two cases of histoplasmosis due to Histoplasma caps ulatum var duboisii observed at the Dakar dermatologic clinic, Senegal . The patients, a 39 year-old man and a boy aged of 15, presented with disseminated cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions. Both had bone involv ement. Smears and histological examination revealed typical yeasts of H. capsulatum var duboisii. The first patient had serum and HTLV, anti bodies with a small population of atypical cells in peripheral blood. HIV, and HIV, serologies were negatives. Detection of proviral DNA of HTLV, by Southern blot could not be done. Fungal opportunistic infecti ons have been reported in HTLV, carriers and adult T-cell leukemia (AT L). About ten cases of african histoplasmosis associated with HIV infe ctions were reported. H, capsulatum var duboisii could be considered a s an opportunist agent in HIV or HTLV, infected patients.