Histoplasmin Sensitivity in Brazil

Abstract
Summary Results of two new histoplasmin skin test surveys are given. One thousand and six hospital patients were tested in Recife and the reactor rate was found to be 20.5%. A second study, done on 258 hospital patients and medical students in Belém, yielded 43.4% positives, which is the highest rate thus far obtained in Brazil and suggests that the Amazon River Valley may be the major focus of histoplasmosis in Brazil. The reported clinical cases of histoplasmosis and the studies of histoplasmin sensitivity in Brazil are reviewed.