Disseminated Histoplasmosis in Early T Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Case Report and Review of Literature

Hematological malignancies predispose individuals to infections that are often not seen in immunocompetent hosts. Here we report one such infection, that with Histoplasma capsulatum in a patient with Early T Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (E.T.P. A.L.L.). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such case reported in literature affecting patient with ETP A.L.L. The patient was rendered susceptible on account of primary T cell malignancy causing immunodeficiency primarily against intracellular pathogens like histoplasmosis. Interestingly, diagnosis was established only after repeated bone marrow examination to evaluate for pyrexia of unknown origin, since all cultures were negative and imaging studies did not reveal obvious focus of infection. Apart from the rarity of infection with histoplasmosis, this case report further lends support to thorough investigation of pyrexia of unknown origin for potentially treatable infectious cause in a susceptible host.