Sistemic mycosis associated to tuberculosis in Bolivar state, Venezuela

the frequency and clinical characteristics of endemic systemic mycosis associated with tuberculosis were determined in bolívar state. clinical case records with confirmed diagnoses of systemic mycosis and tuberculosis were reviewed for a 5-year period. seven cases of systemic mycoses endemic to the region were detected: paracoccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis, associated with tuberculosis. all patients came from bolivar state; only one was feminine and no one was seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus. all presented pulmonary compromise, mostly symptomatic, accompanied by weight loss (6 of 7). in all cases, alterations appeared on the radiological study of the thorax, mainly diffuse bilateral alveolar compromise. in 6 of the 7 patients, acid-resistant bacilli were observed in sputum samples. the mycosis most frequently associated with tuberculosis was paracoccidioidomycosis (6 of 7); the other associated mycosis was histoplasmosis (1 of 7). all patients received antimycotic and 4-drug anti-tuberculosis treatments and all of them improved. the association of endemic systemic mycosis with tuberculosis is not unusual in bolivar state and therefore, the association of these infections should be systematically investigated.