Disseminated Penicillium marneffei infection: a report of five cases in Singapore

Penicillium marneffei has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen in HIV-infected patients in Southeast Asia. We report the first 5 cases of P. marneffei diagnosed in Singapore. All the patients were HIV-infected and were either Thai nationals or had frequently travelled to Thailand. Fever, weight loss, anaemia and papular skin lesions were common clinical manifestations in our patients, all of whom had the organism isolated from blood. Skin biopsy specimens showed histological evidence of P. marneffei in 2 patients. In 1 patient each, the organism grew in cultures of specimens from bone marrow and respiratory secretions. Amphotericin B therapy followed by itraconazole were used in 3 of our 5 patients and was associated with good clinical response and outcome.