ABSTRACT
Anemia is a common complication of paracoccidioidomycosis and is similar to that occurring in other chronic inflammatory processes. Peripheral blood alterations are more intense in the acute-subacute form of paracoccidioidomycosis, with the occurrence of more frequent and more intense anemia, and a tendency to leucocytosis, neutrophilia, eosinophilia, and lymphocytopenia. Patients with paracoccidioidomycosis present decreased serum iron and transferrin levels, the latter evaluated by the total iron binding capacity (TIBC). In most patients with paracoccidioidomycosis, total serum proteins are within normal limits. However, a simple serum fractionation reveals a decrease in albumin and an increase in globulins, with a predominance of the latter in more severe cases. Patients with the acute-subacute form of paracoccidioidomycosis have increased IgG and IgA levels in saliva and urine and a lower increase in IgM levels in saliva and intestinal secretion.
