[Advances in clinical characteristics of talaromycosis combined with other opportunistic infections]

Talaromycosis (TSM) is an opportunistic deep mycosis prevalent in southeast Asia and southern China, affecting HIV-positive, anti-interferon-gamma autoantibody-positive and other immunodeficiency hosts. These hosts are often co-infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis, non-tuberculosis mycobacteria, bacteria, fungi, viruses and other opportunistic infections. The clinical characteristics and the pathogenic spectrum of TSM with opportunistic infections vary with different immune states. The rates of misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis and mortality are high. This review summarized the clinical characteristics of TSM with opportunistic infections in order to improve the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Sweet’s Syndrome Accompanied by Coinfection with Multiple Pathogens and Disseminated Mycobacterium phlei Infection Presenting with Osteolytic Destruction During 12 Years of Follow-Up: A Rare Case Report

Background

Anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) are closely related to the disseminated infection of multiple pathogens. Mycobacterium phlei (M. phlei) is a nonpathogenic nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), and M. phlei infection of the bone is extremely rare. We report a rare case of high-titer AIGAs presenting with Sweet’s syndrome (SS) accompanied by opportunistic coinfection with multiple pathogens during 12 years of follow-up. The patient in this case also developed disseminated M. phlei infection with osteolytic destruction after treatment for SS.

Case Presentation

A 68-year-old Chinese woman was admitted to our hospital in August 2009 due to fever and cough with expectoration for 3 months. The patient was successively infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae, herpes zoster virus and Candida. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed recurrent consolidations in different lung fields. After 15 months of antimicrobial treatment, the patient experienced partial recovery. In September 2010, the patient was pathologically diagnosed with SS due to the presence of multiple rashes. After prednisone and thalidomide treatment, the rashes subsided, and the pulmonary lesions had completely absorbed. In May 2011, the patient was diagnosed with disseminated tuberculosis and was administered anti-tuberculosis therapy for 3 months without improvement. NTM was subsequently cultured from her sputum and chest wall pus, and she improved after 20 months of anti-NTM therapy. In March 2016, the patient developed osteolytic destruction of the C7-T2 vertebral bodies with a back abscess. NTM was eventually cultured from the dorsal abscess pus and further identified as M. phlei. High-titer AIGAs were detected in the patient’s serum. After another round of aggressive anti-NTM therapy, the patient was finally cured.

Conclusion

Patients with AIGA-associated anti-cytokine autoantibody disease can present with multiple opportunistic infections and SS involving the lung. AIGA-associated immunodeficiency leads to infection with nonpathogenic M. phlei, which is refractory, can cause relapse, and even leads to osteolytic destruction.

Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin Lymphoma Combined with Disseminated Talaromyces marneffei Infection: A Case Report

Background

Talaromyces marneffei (TM) is the only temperature-biphasic pathogen among Penicillium spp. that causes talaromycosis marneffei (TSM). Clinical manifestations include fever, cough, expectoration, superficial and deep lymph node enlargement, hepatosplenomegaly, subcutaneous nodules, and bone and joint infections. Cases of TSM in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients are uncommon. The clinical manifestations and imaging findings are similar in TSM and HL, which make it difficult for clinicians to distinguish between TSM and HL. Both diseases can present with symptoms, can involve the blood or the respiratory system and can include other symptoms. We report a rare case of HIV-negative nodular sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL) combined with T. marneffei infection to improve clinical knowledge.

Case Presentation

The patient was a 51-year-old man who presented with a 1-month history of cough, expectoration, intermittent fever in the afternoon and night, cervical lymph node enlargement, diabetes and previous lung surgery. He had markedly elevated serum inflammatory markers and moderate diffuse lung dysfunction. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed diffuse nodular lesions in both lungs with mediastinal lymph node enlargement. The patient did not respond to antibacterial and diagnostic antituberculosis therapy. After lymph node biopsy and lung culture, we obtained a definite diagnosis of NSLH with T. marneffei infection and administered antifungal therapy. His symptoms improved, and he was discharged for further treatment. Unfortunately, he died of Salmonella sepsis 7 months later.

Conclusion

It is rare for NSLH patients to be infected with T. marneffei. Both diseases can present with fever, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly and involve the blood and respiratory system or can cause other symptoms. Clinically, a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis may occur. A multisite biopsy or culture should be performed to make a definitive diagnosis. Early antifungal therapy combined with standard chemotherapy can achieve satisfactory clinical efficacy.