Disseminated Histoplasmosis Presenting as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in an HIV Positive Immigrant from Central America

Histoplasmosis rarely causes significant illness in immunocompetent patients. In endemic areas such as the Midwestern United States and Central America, most people are infected, but are rarely symptomatic, with variable presentation. The illness is usually self-limited in immunocompetent individuals. However, in immunocompromised patients, Histoplasma capsulatum can disseminate to various organs and should be suspected especially in the endemic areas or if there is a significant travel history involving these areas. We present a case of a 65-year-old male originally from Central America with no known past medical history presenting with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation due to acute histoplasmosis and incidentally found to have HIV/AIDS.