Imported penicilliosis marneffei in the United States: report of a second human infection

Abstract

The first natural infection due to Penicillium marneffei in a human was reported in the United States in 1973. We describe a second case of penicilliosis marneffei that was diagnosed in Florida. In both instances, the patients had a history of travel in Southeast Asia where P. marneffei is endemic. The Florida patient had recurrent episodes of hemoptysis attributed to bronchitis and bronchiectasis. In spite of therapy with various antibacterial antibiotics for tuberculosis, the granulomatous lesions in the left upper lobe of the lungs persisted. The diagnosis of penicilliosis marneffei was established by isolating and identifying the dimorphic species of Penicillium, P. marneffei. The histopathologic features of the lung tissue included granulomata with central areas of necrosis and neutrophilic infiltration with many yeast-like, tissue-form cells of P. marneffei, which multiplied by a fission rather than a budding process.