Histoplasmosis: Clinical manifestations and surgical management

In this retrospective study of 115 cases of histoplasmosis, there were 66 male and 49 female patients ranging in age from 2 months to 79 years. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, chest pain, wheezing, weight loss, hemoptysis, and shortness of breath. Thirty-five patients (30%) were asymptomatic. Two patients had manifestations of obstruction of the superior vena cava. Radiologic findings simulated carcinoma, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and viral infections. Sixty-five patients had various operative procedures, such as lung biopsy, wedge resection, lobectomy, pneumonectomy, resection of lymph node, and bypass of superior vena cava, for diagnosis and treatment. There were two deaths and two postoperative complications. A total of 15 patients received intravenous amphotericin B. Four patients with pneumonic infiltrates developed disseminated histoplasmosis.