Editorial comment: hemophagocytic syndrome--an HIV-associated quagmire.

Sanchez and colleagues1 report a case of histoplasmosis-associated reactive hemophagocytic syndrome in a 61-year-old HIV-infected man. The association of hemophagocytic syndrome with HIV infection is important for several reasons: (1) Many of the features of the hemophagocytic syndrome are not specific in this setting, and, hence, may be easily overlooked or misdiagnosed. (2) The hemophagocytic syndrome can mimic an infection or lymphoma. (3) The hemophagocytic syndrome may obscure the diagnosis of a precipitating, treatable illness.