1/372. Cryptococcoma of the sacrum.Cryptococcoma of the sacrum was the initial presentation of systemic cryptococcosis in a patient on chronic steroid therapy for autoimmune hepatitis. The bone lesion was the only overt manifestation of systemic cryptococcal disease, which preceded other clinical manifestations and led to the subsequent diagnosis of systemic infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/372. First report of Cryptococcus laurentii meningitis and a fatal case of Cryptococcus albidus cryptococcaemia in AIDS patients.We report the first case of Cryptococcus laurentii meningitis and a rare case of Cryptococcus albidus cryptococcaemia in AIDS patients. Both infections were treated with amphotericin b and flucytosine. The C. laurentii meningitis was controlled after 2 weeks of treatment with no evidence of infection 20 months later. The patient with C. albidus cryptococcaemia, despite the amphotericin b/flucytosine combination therapy, died on the 14th day of treatment. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for C. laurentii, as determined by Etest on RPMI 1640 agar, were 0.25 microg ml(-1) of amphotericin b, 1.25 microg ml(-1) flucytosine, 4 microg ml(-1) fluconazole, 0.50 microg ml(-1) itraconazole and 1.0 microg ml(-1) of ketoconazole. The MIC of amphotericin b for C. albidus was 0.5 microg ml(-1), flucytosine 1.25 microg ml(-1), fluzonazole 4 microg ml(-1), itraconazole 0.5 microg ml(-1) and ketonazole 0.25 microg ml(-1). The agreement of the amphotericin b MIC values obtained in antibiotic medium 3 by the broth microdilution method, with those obtained on casitone medium by Etest, was within a two-dilution range for both isolates. C. laurentii may cause meningitis and may also involve the lungs in AIDS patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/372. Cutaneous manifestations of disseminated cryptococcosis.Five patients with disseminated cryptococcosis had lesions on the extremities resembling cellulitis, which evolved into areas of blistering and ulceration in three patients. All had underlying disease and were medically immunosuppressed. Disseminated cryptococcosis appears to present with cellulitis or herpes-like vesiculation more commonly than is currently appreciated. india ink preparations of aspirates from areas of cellulitis or Tzanck preparations from blisters may show characteristic organisms, and make possible an immediate diagnosis of cutaneous cryptococcosis. If cutaneous infection is confirmed by performing biopsies and growing cultures, dissemination must be presumed and the patient treated with a full course of systemic antifungal therapy. With increasing awareness of cutaneous involvement, some cases of disseminated cryptococcosis will be diagnosed sooner, leading to earlier therapy and improved prognosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/372. Cryptococcal prostatic abscess in an immunocompromised patient: a case report and review of the literature.A case of cryptococcal prostatic abscess in a 65-year-old Chinese man with immunosuppression from treatment of myasthenia gravis is presented. The patient was diagnosed to have cryptococcaemia when he presented with fever and urinary symptoms. Further investigations confirmed cryptococcal meningitis and imaging studies showed a hypodense lesion in the prostate. This proved to be an abscess and it was deroofed transurethrally. histology of the prostatic tissue revealed the presence of Cryptococcus. The prostate can be a site of persistent cryptococcal infection and may take the form of an abscess. It should be drained transurethrally to prevent relapse.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/372. Hepatobiliary dysfunction as the initial manifestation of disseminated cryptococcosis.A case of hepatobiliary dysfunction as the initial manifestation of disseminated cryptococcosis is described. The patient was admitted with symptoms of hepatitis with cholestatic jaundice. Antibody tests for hepatitis b and C and human immunodeficiency virus were negative. The patient continued to deteriorate clinically. Eventually, the patient succumbed to hepatic failure. autopsy disclosed systemic cryptococcosis that caused extensive necrosis of the liver. In review of the literature, only nine cases of cryptococcal infection presenting as hepatitis, cholangitis, and cholecystitis as initial manifestation were reported. Four of these patients had been subjected to exploratory laparotomy for clinical suspicion of acute abdomen. One patient developed cirrhosis as a result of cryptococcal hepatitis. Two patients succumbed to hepatic failure. cryptococcosis is known to occur commonly in immunocompromised patients, yet only two reported cases presenting as hepatitis were associated with immunocompromised status.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/372. Primary cryptococcal prostatitis in an apparently uncompromised host.BACKGROUND: Systemic spread from a primary focus of cryptococcal infection commonly involves the central nervous system, manifested as meningitis or meningoencephalitis. Untreated meningitis and meningoencephalitis are invariably fatal, following a subacute or chronic course of cyclic remission and relapse, followed by progressive deterioration over weeks to months. Occasional patients with fulminating meningoencephalitis die within a few days. Incorrect diagnosis may be the most common cause of fatality in this disease. Thorough histopathologic examination and blood and body fluid studies should minimize misdiagnosis. methods: We studied the case of an initially misdiagnosed 64-year-old apparently immunologically competent man with primary cryptococcal prostatitis that subsequently disseminated to the central nervous system and the left eye. All immunologic findings including workup for AIDS viruses were normal. Laboratory studies confirmed cryptococcal infection. RESULTS: After initial misdiagnosis, our patient received improper treatment for 10 months. He developed meningitis and severe left endophthalmitis with optic nerve and retinal involvement. Toxic medications led to kidney insufficiency with about 66% loss of function. Following therapy, reevaluation of his immune system showed marked abnormality in cell-mediated immunity. CONCLUSIONS: cryptococcosis is easily misdiagnosed in uncompromised hosts, both clinically and pathologically, because of misconception that the disease affects only immunocompromised individuals and that primary cryptococcal prostatitis is virtually unheard-of in "normal" males.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/372. cryptococcosis of thoracic vertebra simulating tuberculosis: diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration biopsy cytology--a case report.A rare case of cryptococcosis of sixth thoracic vertebra (T6) along with pulmonary involvement in an old diabetic patient is presented. The infection resulted in lytic lesion of T6 vertebra and girdle pain. A computerized tomographic (CT) guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) cytology was performed, which showed encapsulated fungal spores of cryptococcus neoformans with granulomatous reaction, later confirmed by fungal culture.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/372. Cryptococcal aortitis presenting as a ruptured mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm.Mycotic processes occasionally complicate atherosclerotic aortic disease and usually require aggressive surgical therapy to control sepsis and prevent arterial rupture. Rarely, fungal organisms are responsible for primary infection of the abdominal aorta. We report the first case of Cryptococcal aortitis presenting as a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. The surgical, pathologic, and microbiologic aspects of fungal aortitis are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/372. Fatal biphasic brainstem and spinal leptomeningitis with cryptococcus neoformans in a non-immunocompromised child.Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the most common life-threatening, invasive fungal infections of the central nervous system in patients with defective T-lymphocyte function. It is, however, unusual in children. We report on a non-immunocompromised 10-y-old boy without evidence of immunological abnormality who developed headache, vomiting, disturbances of consciousness and areflexia. magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and the spinal cord revealed enlargement of the ventricles and high signal lesions in the leptomeninges at the level of the cerebral peduncles and the cervical and thoracic cord. cerebrospinal fluid analysis was positive for cryptococcus neoformans. He was treated with amphotericin b and was symptom-free within 1 wk. Despite an extended course of therapy his symptoms suddenly relapsed and he succumbed to the medical complications of cardiac and respiratory failure. central nervous system appearances at postmortem were those of cryptococcal leptomeningitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/372. Disseminated infection due to nocardia transvalensis coincident with cryptococcus neoformans variety gattii meningitis.A case of meningitis due to cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii coincident with disseminated nocardia transvalensis infection is reported. nocardia infection initially progressed despite high-dose antimicrobial therapy. Although a specific immunologic defect could not be defined, in vitro lymphocyte proliferation in response to stimulation with the nocardia isolate was reduced. It is proposed that coinfection with cryptococcus neoformans may have contributed to the observed impairment of lymphocyte function, leading to disseminated nocardia disease and a suboptimal treatment response.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7keywords = infection (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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