Backgrounds: Disseminated Penicillium marneffei infection is one of the most common HIV-related opportunistic
infections in Southeast Asia. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is a complication related to
antiretroviral therapy (ART)-induced immune restoration. The aim of this report is to present a case of HIV-infected
child who developed an unmasking type of IRIS caused by disseminated P. marneffei infection after ART initiation.
Case presentation: A 14-year-old Thai HIV-infected girl presented with high-grade fever, multiple painful ulcerated
oral lesions, generalized non-pruritic erythrematous skin papules and nodules with central umbilication, and
multiple swollen, warm, and tender joints 8 weeks after ART initiation. At that time, her CD4+ cell count was 7.2%
or 39 cells/mm3
. On admission, her repeated CD4+ cell count was 11% or 51 cells/mm3 and her plasma HIV-RNA
level was < 50 copies/mL. Her skin biopsy showed necrotizing histiocytic granuloma formation with neutrophilic
infiltration in the upper and reticular dermis. Tissue sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), periodic
acid-Schiff (PAS), and Grocott methenamine silver (GMS) stain revealed numerous intracellular and extracellular,
round to oval, elongated, thin-walled yeast cells with central septation. The hemoculture, bone marrow culture,
and skin culture revealed no growth of fungus or bacteria. Our patient responded well to intravenous
amphotericin B followed by oral itraconazole. She fully recovered after 4-month antifungal treatment without
evidence of recurrence of disease.
Conclusions: IRIS from P. marneffei in HIV-infected people is rare. Appropriate recognition and properly treatment
is important for a good prognosis.