Histoplasmosis in Malaya

A survey of 227 patients from 5-60 years of age revealed the presence of positive histoplasmin skin tests in 10.5 per cent. and positive complement-fixation tests in 19-8 per cent. Sputum from 13 of the 37 patients who had a positive complement-fixation test were cultured for H. capsulatum but with negative results. Exposure to infection by the fungus is equally distributed among the different race and age groups. A careful and constant watch should be kept for histoplasmosis in all chest hospitals as a certain number of cases may be present. It tends to elude diagnosis unless specially sought as it resembles the clinical picture of tuberculosis or other granulomatous disease. It presents a field for further investigation and research in Malaya.