Histoplamosis
Caveran disease, darling’s disease, reticuloendothelial cytomycosis or tingo maria fever are the other synonyms for histoplamosis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum. The disease is widely prevalent throughout the world including India, and affects the man and animals. It is a soil-borne disease and the transmission occurs through inhalation of spore from contaminated soil and nvironment. Non productive cough, shortness of breath, hoarseness, haemoptysis, lymphadenopathy and fever are the main symptoms. There may be chest pain or pain in muscles and joints. Ulcers appear on mouth, larynx, pharynx and stomach. Hepatosplenomegaly, meningitis and endocarditis may also occur.Radiography is helpful for internal lesions, especially nodules in lungs in case of pulmonary histoplasmosis. The fungus can be demonstrated in clinical material using Giemsa stain or can be isolated. Latex agglutination, complement fixation and agar gel immunodiffusion tests are used for serodiagnosis and nucleic acid based detection methods for confirmation of organisms.