What is the causative agent of talaromycosis?
Talaromyces marneffei
What’s the geographic distribution of Talaromycosis?
- Southeast Asia
- Southern China
- East India
What are the hosts for talaromycosis?
- Humans
- Bamboo rats
How is talaromycosis infection acquired?
- Inhalation from the environment
- Inoculation through skin
These are not fully understood
Human to human transmission does not occur
What are clinical clues to talaromycosis infection?
Talaromycosis
* Someone with advanced HIV or other immune suppression
* Lives in or travelled to endemic area (e.g. SE Asia)
* Umbilicated papular skin lesions typically located on the face and chest and extremities
* Fever, weight loss, diarrhea
* Hepatosplenomegaly
* Lung involvement is common and CXR may reveal diffuse reticulonodular or alveolar infiltrates.
How is talaromycosis diagnosed?
Microscopy and culture
* Blood, BAL, skin, bone marrow, lymph nodes may be the specimen
* Microscopical examination reveals extracellular and intracellular yeasts
* The extracellular forms often have a transverse septum as a result of binary fission.
What is the incubation period for talaromycosis?
Weeks to years after exposure to the fungus
What is the treatment for talaromycosis?
IV amphotericin B for 2 weeks followed by oral itraconazole.
