Search

Leishmania infection may be associated with immunecomplex-mediated glomerular injury. Contrary to immune-competent individuals, leishmaniasis in HIV patients is a chronic, relapsing disease. Despite the increasing frequency of the Leishmania/ HIV co-infection, there is a paucity of information on the effects of such co-infection in the kidney. We present a patient with AIDS and refractory, relapsing visceral leishmaniasis who developed nephrotic syndrome associated with renal involvement by Leishmania in the absence ofimmunecomplex glomerular deposition. For the first time, the relapsing nature of renal injury in this context is documented.

The characteristics of two cases of histoplasmosis in AIDS patients in our institution are presented together with a review of the 11 cases published in Spain since 1988 in addition to the current knowledge on histoplasmosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV). In all except 2 of the 13 patients there was epidemiologic history of a stay in a country in which histoplasmosis is endemic. The 12 cases described in which this information is available had CD4 counts under 100/microL. The clinical manifestations of presentation were fever (92.3%) associated or not with other unspecific symptoms (asthenia, anorexia, cough, diarrhea) with a subacute course of two or three months. Physical examination demonstrated hepatosplenomegaly in 76.9% of the cases and 61.5% of the patients presented cutaneous lesions. Thoracic radiography was abnormal in 55% (61.5% had respiratory symptoms). Diagnosis was achieved by isolation of the fungus in the cutaneous biopsies in all the patients with dermatologic involvement and in 7 cases identification was performed in the bone marrow. In all the cases induction treatment was with anphotericin B and in those who reached the maintenance phase itraconazol was used in 7 cases and ketoconazol in one case. None of the patients treated with itraconazol, including the two in our center, presented recurrence at the time of completion of follow up. In conclusion, histoplasmosis is frequently presented as a prolonged febrile syndrome with unspecific characteristics, thus emphasizing the importance of including travel history to other countries in the anamnesis. The increase in journeys to endemic countries and immigration from these areas had led to an increase in the number of cases of histoplasmosis in patients with HIV infection in Spain.

Evaluation of epidemiologic, clinical and prognostic characteristics in cases of resistant tuberculosis (MRTB).Retrospective longitudinal and observational study of resistant cases of tuberculosis at Fundación Jiménez Díaz (1991-1997). Statistical analysis of conventional tests and significance level at p0.05.Twenty patients out of 558 with recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis showed resistance to some drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, streptomycin or pyrazinamide). Information was gathered from 19 patients: eight (42%) HIV-positive patients; eight (42%) with the antecedent of tuberculosis (2 abandoned treatment). There were eleven cases (58%) of secondary resistance and eight of primary resistance but only five (25%) with multi-resistance criteria (1 primary and 4 secondary); five cases showed primary resistance to isoniazid. The number of resistances and HIV seropositivity or antecedent of prophylaxis was not statistically significant. In contrast, the higher number of resistances and tuberculosis antecedent were indeed statistically significant.There was a low resistance rate at our institution. All multi-resistant cases had antecedents of therapy or prophylaxis abandon or previous tuberculosis. Only one case was MRTB. The relevance of complying with a proper therapy is emphasized (consider therapies directly monitored if there is risk of abandon). In patients with epidemiologic risk factors susceptibility studies should be performed and also start therapy with four drugs. The objective is to decrease the percentages of resistance and morbi-mortality.