Cureus
Cure8 research brief
Why This Matters
A fungal infection (paracoccidioidomycosis) can closely mimic Crohn’s disease on clinical, endoscopic, and histologic grounds, which risks misdiagnosis and harmful treatment delays—especially in patients from endemic areas.
Who Should Pay Attention
Clinicians (gastroenterologists, pathologists, infectious disease), adult patients from or with travel to endemic regions, and caregivers for patients with atypical IBD features.
Study Snapshot
Story typeResearch paper
Evidence typeResearch paper
Source depthJournal abstract
What To Know
The patient was a young man from Brazil who presented with weeks of abdominal pain, marked lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. Initial histology showed granulomas interpreted as Crohn’s disease; routine PAS/Ziehl–Neelsen stains were negative.
After clinical worsening on corticosteroids, excisional lymph-node histology with Gomori-Grocott stain revealed the characteristic fungal morphology of Paracoccidioides, confirming PCM. Cultures and PCR/serology were not available at the treating center, and retrospective review found fungal forms on earlier slides once GG staining was performed.
This report highlights that imported fungal infections can closely mimic intestinal granulomatous diseases and that special fungal stains (GG) or referral to specialized labs may be needed when patients have epidemiologic risk (residence or origin from endemic areas such as Brazil).
Keep In Mind
Diagnosis depended on special fungal staining (Gomori-Grocott) and epidemiologic context; cultures and PCR/serology were not available locally. This is a single case report (abstract-level summary).
Source Details
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
Research paper
Evidence type derived from source or registry metadata.
PublicationCureus
AuthorsAna Cerqueira, Tiago Seco, Joana Moniz +2 more
Study typeArticle
Indexed viaOpenAlex
Source typeResearch paper
PublishedOct 11, 2026, 12:00 AM
Content availableJournal abstract
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Clinical features of intestinal tuberculosis: an analysis of 46 cases, including six initially misdiagnosed as Crohn's disease
ITB can closely mimic Crohn’s disease, so this study is relevant because it describes diagnostic test yields and illustrates that targeted TB testing and therapeutic trials of antituberculosis treatment can help...
Terminal Ileitis on Imaging Is Rarely Crohn's Disease: A 10-Year Retrospective Cohort Study.
Many patients and clinicians assume terminal ileitis on imaging means Crohn's disease. This study suggests that, after further testing, most CT-detected terminal ileitis is due to non-Crohn's causes, so thorough...
Small Intestinal Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma Mimicking Crohn's Disease.
Because intestinal lymphoma can closely mimic Crohn’s disease, recognizing red flags (severe malabsorption, proximal small-bowel involvement, monoclonal gammopathy, poor response to IBD therapy) can change diagnosis and...