Keywords
H. capsulatum
Disease Outbreaks
Diagnoses.
How to Cite
Abstract
Outbreaks of histoplasmosis occur due to exposure to a common source with high concentrations of conidia. In general, they are associated with work or recreational activities. The existence of an epidemiological link and the fact that two individuals with clinical signs suggestive of histoplasmosis were hospitalized led all individuals involved in the visit to the abandoned mine and cave to undergo serological evaluation. By double immunodiffusion (DI), we observed reactivity against the H. capsulatum antigen in 85.7% of the sera evaluated approximately 30 days after exposure to fungal propagules. Among the reactive samples, it was observed that the antibody titer ranged from pure to 128. On the other hand, the evaluation of the immunoreactivity of the samples by immunoblotting revealed 100% reactivity against the H and M fractions, serological markers of histoplasmosis and indicators of acute pulmonary infection. This study confirms the importance and efficacy of serological tests in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated the importance of the immunoblotting assay in the early elucidation of the infectious process by H. capsulatum during the occurrence of outbreaks and/or microepidemics, especially in cases with no serological reactivity by double immunodiffusion and in the absence of mycological confirmation.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Camila Mika Kamikawa , Plínio Trabasso, Rose Clélia Grion Trevisane, Josefa Maria da Hora Silva Lima, Maria Helena Postal Pavan, Edite Kazue Taninaga, Hamilton Bertan, Inajara de Cassia Guerreiro Guerreiro, Mayara de Freitas Pereira, Adriana Pardini Vicentini