Sketchy Microbiology: Histoplasma Capsulatum

The Historians Cave — Histoplasma Capsulatum

Histoplasmosis Indiana Jones — Commonly found in caves in Mississippi and Ohio River valleys (Midwestern USA)

Bird or Bat droppings in a cave – Mode of exposure

Coughing — Transmission through respiration

Red Stalactite and Yellow Stalactite — Diagnosis through KOH or rapid serum (red) or urine (yellow) antigen test

Puddles with Ovoid bodies — What it looks like histologically (Remember: Histoplasma much smaller than RBC)

Dimorphic Butterfly — mold in the “cold” and yeast in the “heat”

“Lung” Rocks w/ white stalactites — Can cause Pneumonia

Wild West TB scene — Causes granulomas which can look like TB w/ calcified nodes and nodules in the hilar region

White Stalicitites w/ Red — Can cause Erythema Nodosum on legs

Cane — Associated w/ immunocompromised

Cave drawing of bull w/ liver and spleen — disseminated to liver and spleen because fungus targets the reticuloendothelial system that has a lot of macrophages these are prevalent in the liver and spleen → Causes hepatosplenomegaly

Pine Cone — Treated with -azoles

Frog — Systemic fungi treated with AMP B (Amphotericin B)