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We report a case of a pulmonary histoplasmosis in an HIV-positive patient usually living in Cambodia, with a positive Aspergillus galactomannan antigenemia resulting from a cross-reaction, that decreased after antifungal therapy. We discuss the potential interest of the detection of fungal DNA by PCR and Aspergillus galactomannan antigenemia for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis, especially in countries where Histoplasma capsulatum antigen testing is not available., (Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

We report a case of disseminated histoplasmosis due to Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum in an African patient with AIDS (born in Ghana) and living in France. This opportunistic fungal infection has never been reported in Ghana, maybe because of limited means of investigation or ignorance. Nevertheless, it was reported in a Ghanaian immigrant living in Italy. In our patient, the first diagnosis was suggested by a peripheral blood smear, which is not a classical biological diagnostic method. The diagnostic interest and the frequency of positive peripheral blood smears in the course of disseminated histoplasmosis are probably under estimated.