Emergomycosis ( Emergomyces africanus ) in Advanced HIV Disease

In 2013, a novel thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen was described to cause disseminated disease among persons living with advanced HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Although the organism was initially described as an Emmonsia -like fungus, it is now known to belong to a new genus of thermally dimorphic fungi and was recently named Emergomyces africanus . There is considerable clinical and histopathological overlap between emergomycosis and histoplasmosis. This review addresses taxonomic, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of Es. africanus disease, a condition which has, to date, only been reported from southern Africa.