Wynbrandt Jonathan H, Crouser Elliot D
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Ohio State University Medical Center, 1654 Upham Drive, 202 Means Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Respir Med. 2007 Apr;101(4):863-4. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2006.08.011. Epub 2006 Oct 2.
Histoplasmosis, a dimorphic fungus, and sarcoidosis, a disease of unknown etiology, share many clinical features, including typical manifestations of granulomatous inflammation involving the lungs and mediastinal lymphatics in association with constitutional symptoms. As such, they are often difficult to distinguish based upon clinical presentation. Recent studies suggest that sarcoidosis may be triggered by infectious agents. Here we present a case of documented pulmonary histoplasmosis that evolved into sarcoidosis. This case supports the notion that infections promote sarcoidosis in predisposed hosts.
