[Cryptococcus where they are not expected: Five case reports of extra-cerebral and extra-pulmonary cryptococcosis]

Abstract

Cryptococcosis is a serious infection, possibly lethal, of worldwide distribution. It mainly affects immunosuppressed patients resulting with pulmonary and/or meningeal involvements or disseminated infections. Due to the rarity of visceral and osseous infections, and to the absence of specific clinical symptoms, this diagnosis is often deferred. Resulting of diagnostic errors, samples are often directed to the department of pathology and more rarely to the department of mycology. Histopathological examination appears crucial, highlighting encapsulated yeasts with alcian blue staining. Once the diagnosis is performed, an appropriate antifungal therapy must be quickly introduced because these infections are associated with a high mortality rate. The aim of our work was to report five extra-cerebral and extra-pulmonary cryptococcosis cases, to describe their histopathological features, to evoke diagnostic techniques and to discuss the differential diagnoses.

Keywords: Cryptococcus; Extra-cerebral; Extra-pulmonary; Extracérébral; Extrapulmonaire; Immunohistochemistry; Immunohistochimie.