Microbiology & infectious diseases
Fungi
Dimorphic fungi
Talaromyces marneffei
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 December 2006
Last staff update: 12 August 2022
Copyright: 2002-2025, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Talaromyces marneffei
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Terminology | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive stains | Differential diagnosis | Additional referencesCite this page: Pernick N. Talaromyces marneffei. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/microbiologypenicilliosis.html. Accessed April 1st, 2025.
Definition / general
- Fungus is hyaline hyphomycetes, related to Aspergillus (University of Adelaide: Penicillium, University of Adelaide: Talaromyces marneffei)
- Major endemic mycosis of AIDS patients in Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan
- Almost always systemic with fever, weight loss and anemia
- Often nonproductive cough, skin rashes, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy
Terminology
- Previously called Penicillium marneffei
Treatment
- Amphotericin B and itraconazole
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Normo or hypercellular marrow
- Intracytoplasmic organisms similar to histoplasma but also sausage cells with light blue cytoplasm and central cross walls (due to fission, not budding) and 1 or 2 purple red small nuclei
- Normal or increased granulocyte and erythroid precursors
- Normal megakaryocytes
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Penicillium (A / C)
vs. Histoplasma
capsulatum (B / D)
Differential diagnosis
- Histoplasmosis: budding, intracellular only, no septum; often different epidemiology
Additional references
