African histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum var. duboisii, or Histoplama duboisii (Hcd). : 316  Disease has been most often reported in Uganda, Nigeria, Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Senegal, as Hcd is exclusive to Africa. In human disease it manifests differently than histoplasmosis (caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, or Hcc), most often involving the skin and bones and rarely involving the lungs. Also unlike Hcc, Hcd has been reported to rarely present in those with HIV, likely due to underreporting. However, this along with the differences in Hcc and Hcd have been disputed.The favored locations of African histoplasmosis are "osteoarticular, ganglionic and pulmonary". Genitourinary skin damage is rare, occurring in only 4-11% patients and typically as a secondary skin invasion in those with disseminated infection.It presents as "localized with isolated skin, bone, or lymph node infections or disseminated with multiple cutaneous lesions present all over the body, subcutaneous abscesses, enlarged lymph nodes, liver and spleen, and visceral organ enlargement" Cutaneous manifestations can be isolated or present with nodules, papules, or ulcers. They may present with subcutaneous swelling, cold abscesses progressing to spontaneous fistulization, or ulcers that may bud. If left alone, lesions may turn into a large ulcer. See also
Histoplasmosis

References


== Further reading ==
A. astronyxis (Ray & Hayes 1954) Page 1967 * (T7)
A. byersi Qvarnstrom, Nerad & Visvesvara 2013 *
A. castellanii Volkonski 1931 * (T4) [A. terricola Pussard 1964]
A. comandoni Pussard 1964 (T9)
A. culbertsoni (Singh & Das 1970) Griffin 1972 * (T10)
A. divionensis Pussard & Pons 1977 (T4)
A. echinulata Pussard & Pons 1977
A. gigantea Schmöller 1964
A. glebae (Dobell 1914)
A. gleichenii Volkonsky 1931
A. griffini Sawyer 1971 (T3)
A. hatchetti Sawyer, Visvesvara & Harke 1977 * (T11)
A. healyi Moura, Wallace & Visvesvara 1992 (T12)
A. hyalina Dobel & Oconnor 1921
A. jacobsi Sawyer, Nerad & Visvesvara 1992
A. keratitis  *
A. lenticulata Molet & Ermolieff-braun 1976 (T3)
A. lugdunensis Pussard & Pons 1977 * (T4)
A. mauritaniensis Pussard & Pons 1977 (T4)
A. micheli Corsaro et al. 2015
A. palestinensis (Reich 1933) Page 1977 * (T1)
A. paradivionensis Pussard & Pons 1977 (T4)
A. pearcei Nerad et al. 1995
A. polyphaga (Puschkarew 1913) Volkonsky 1931 * (T4)
A. pustulosa Pussard & Pons 1977 (T2)
A. pyriformis (Olive & Stoianovitch 1969) Spiegel & Shadwick 2016
A. quina Pussard & Pons 1977 *
A. rhysodes (Singh 1952) Griffin 1972 * (T4)
A. royreba Willaert, Stevens & Tyndall 1978
A. sohi Kyung-il & Shin 2003
A. stevensoni Sawyer et al. 1993 (T11)
A. triangularis Pussard & Pons 1977 (T4)
A. tubiashi Lewis & Sawyer 1979 (T8)

Etymology
From the Greek akantha (spike/thorn), which was added before "amoeba" (change) to describe this organism as having a spine-like structure (acanthopodia). This organism is now well known as Acanthamoeba, an amphizoic, opportunistic, and nonopportunistic protozoan protist widely distributed in the environment.