Intracellular pathogens within alveolar macrophages in a patient with HIV infection: Diagnostic challenge

Abstract

In HIV-infected individuals, macrophages, the key defense effector cells, manifest defective activity in their interactions with a wide variety of opportunistic pathogens, including fungi and protozoa. Understanding the morphological characteristics of intracellular opportunistic pathogens in addition to their pathogenesis is of critical importance to provide optimal therapy, thereby decreasing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients. We herein present a case of disseminated histoplasmosis confused with disseminated visceral leishmaniasis in an HIV-infected individual from Guyana who developed intracellular organisms within alveolar macrophages.