Korean J Intern Med.  2006 Mar;21(1):39-42. 10.3904/kjim.2006.21.1.39.

Acute Respiratory Failure Associated with Cryptococcal Pneumonia and Disseminated Cryptococcosis in an AIDS Patient

• Lee KH
• Chang UI
• Kim HW
• Kim G
• Kim SK
• Yoo J
• Wie SH

• KMID: 1782250
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2006.21.1.39

Abstract

A 36-year-old homosexual Mexican man was admitted to our hospital, with a 30-day history of fever and headache. Upon cerebrospinal fluid examination, the patient's white blood cell count was 1,580/L, total protein was 26 mg/dL, sugar was 17 mg/dL, and his intracranial pressure was 23 cmH2O. The patient was diagnosed with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection by serum Western blotting. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated in cultures of the patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluids. Chest computerized tomography revealed diffuse reticulonodular infiltration and a ground-glass appearance in both perihilar regions, suggestive of either Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia or cryptococcal pneumonia. On the patient's 6th day in our hospital, bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial lung biopsy were conducted via bronchoscopy, and a pathologic examination of lung biopsy specimens revealed signs of cryptococcal pneumonia. This patient died on his 14th day in our hospital, as the result of acute respiratory failure, associated with cryptococcal pneumonia and disseminated cryptococcosis.

Keyword

Cryptococcus neoformans; Cryptococcosis; HIV

MeSH Terms

Respiratory Insufficiency/*diagnosis/etiology/*microbiology
Pneumonia/*diagnosis/*microbiology
Male
Humans
Fatal Outcome
Cryptococcus neoformans/*isolation & purification
Cryptococcosis/*diagnosis/microbiology
Bronchoalveolar Lavage
Blotting, Western
Adult
Acute Disease
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/complications/*microbiology