OBJECTIVE

To investigate the manifestation of clinical, blood routine and bone marrow smear of disseminated penicilliosis marneffei.

METHODS

There were 13 cases of penicilliosis marneffei whose peripheral blood had been drawn for routine tests, as well as blood and bone marrow aspiration for smears. Wright's-Giemsa stain, Gomori's methenamine-silver stain (GMS) and periodic acid Schiff's reaction (PAS) were performed for light microscopy in consultation with pathologic diagnosis and fungi culture for precise diagnosis.

RESULTS

Seven cases of bone marrow and 2 peripheral blood smears were found positive for penicillium marneffei in the test group. The morphology of penicillium marneffei was extremely similar to that of histoplasma capsulatum. However, the observation of sausage cells and central cross wall, which are signs of dividing by fission and not by budding, aided in differential diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Bone marrow smear or occasional blood smear examination play an important role in the diagnosis of disseminated penicilliosis marneffei.