Korean J Med Mycol.  2017 Mar;22(1):34-41. 10.17966/KJMM.2017.22.1.34.

Cryptococcus Species Infection in a Bone Marrow Transplant Patient and Review of the Literature

• Kim YH
• Park YM
• Lee JY
• Lee JH

• KMID: 2377047
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17966/KJMM.2017.22.1.34

Abstract

Cryptococcosis is caused by several Cryptococcus species, including C. neoformans and C. gattii. Skin involvement is seen in 10~20% of systemic cryptococcosis. There are also rare cases of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in which skin-penetrating trauma is the alleged mechanism of infection. A 16-year-old male presented with multiple, 0.2~0.3 cm-sized, brownish papules on the whole body for 2 weeks. He had past history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and received bone marrow transplant 1 year ago. After leukemia had recurred 1 month ago and after chemotherapy, multiple brownish papules developed. Histopathologic examinations revealed narrow-based budding yeasts in hematoxylin and eosin, Periodic acid-Schiff, and Gomori methenamine silver stains. Also in mucicarmine stain there were pink-colored capsules around the cell walls. Finally it was diagnosed as deep fungal infection due to Cryptococcus species. In spite of administrating fluconazole, the patient expired due to respiratory failure caused by pneumonia. Herein, we report a case of Cryptococcus species infection in a bone marrow transplant patient.

Keyword

Cryptococcus; Bone marrow transplant; Leukemia

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Bone Marrow*
Capsules
Cell Wall
Coloring Agents
Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcus*
Drug Therapy
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Fluconazole
Hematoxylin
Humans
Leukemia
Male
Methenamine
Pneumonia
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
Respiratory Insufficiency
Saccharomycetales
Skin
Capsules
Coloring Agents
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Fluconazole
Hematoxylin
Methenamine