Histopathological spectrum of fungal infections in a tirtiary care centre�

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: Histopathology is one of the method for diagnosing fungal infections along with other methods like specific antigen detection, antibody detection, specific metabolite detection, recent PCR technique and culture method. histopathology shows host tissue reaction, extent of invasion by fungi, coexisting diseases and infections and also tells us about tissue response to treatment and guiding treatment. Not to be forgotton is that histopathology is the only method for etiologic diagnosis of some organisms like Rhinosporidiosis, Lobomycosis and Pneumocystis. Aim: To determine pattern of fungal infections in histopathological specimens. Objectives: To study the histopathological features of fungal infections and their pattern of involvement according to age, sex and organwise. Materials and methods:This study was carried out in the department of pathology for a period of three years from September 2009 to August 2012. Specimens obtained with relevant clinical data were formalin fixed and processed with standared procedures. Sections were stained with routine Hematoxylin and eosin stain and special stains like Periodic acid Schiff and Gomori’s methanamine silver stain were used werever required. All histopathological specimens received during study period both clinically suspected cases and incidentally detected fungal infections were included in this study. Results: During the period of study we got 30 histopathological specimens with fungal infections accounting for 0.31% of total histopathological specimens. Out of these 20 were male 10 female with male preponderence. They showed wide range of age incidence between 10 to 60 years. Rhinosporidiosis was the most common type of infection. The most common site of infection was nasal cavity. Conclusion: As clinicopathological pattern of fungal infections appears little different from other leterature Further epidemiological studies are required about fungal infections in this geographical region using various diagnostic modalities both conventional and new to know thier different patterns of distribution.