Talaromycosis

Question 1

What is the causative agent of talaromycosis?

Answer 1

Talaromyces marneffei

Question 2

What’s the geographic distribution of Talaromycosis?

Answer 2

• Southeast Asia
• Southern China
• East India

Question 3

What are the hosts for talaromycosis?

Answer 3

• Humans
• Bamboo rats

Question 4

How is talaromycosis infection acquired?

Answer 4

• Inhalation from the environment
• Inoculation through skin

These are not fully understood

Human to human transmission does not occur

Question 5

What are clinical clues to talaromycosis infection?

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

How is talaromycosis diagnosed?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

What is the incubation period for talaromycosis?

Answer 7

Weeks to years after exposure to the fungus

Question 8

What is the treatment for talaromycosis?

Answer 8

IV amphotericin B for 2 weeks followed by oral itraconazole.