Korean J Intern Med.  2004 Mar;19(1):53-57.

First Report of Cryptococcus Albidus-Induced Disseminated Cryptococcosis in a Renal Transplant Recipient

• Lee YA
• Kim HJ
• Lee TW
• Kim MJ
• Lee MH
• Lee JH
• Ihm CG

Abstract

Cryptococcus albidus, a non-neoformans species of the genus Cryptococcus, is generally regarded as a rare cause of disease. There have been only 14 previously reported cases in which this organism has been isolated as a pathogen, none of which occurred in a renal transplant recipient. A 23-year-old renal transplant recipient taking medication consisting of cyclosporine and prednisolone was admitted with a 10-day history of dry cough, fever and progressive dyspnea. The next day, his respiratory status deteriorated dramatically, and he developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and fulminant septic shock. On the eighth hospital day, tender macules on both his shins coalesced to form erythematous patches. Cryptococcus albidus was isolated by skin biopsy and tissue culture. We report here the first case of disseminated cryptococcosis caused by C. albidus in a renal transplant recipient who had been successfully treated with fluconazole monotherapy.

Keyword

Cryptococcus albidus; Fluconazole; Kidney transplantation

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antifungal Agents/*therapeutic use
Cryptococcosis/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology
Cyclosporine/adverse effects
Diagnosis, Differential
Fluconazole/*therapeutic use
Graft Rejection/prevention & control
Human
Immunocompromised Host
Immunosuppressive Agents/adverse effects
*Kidney Transplantation
Lung Diseases, Fungal/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology
Male
Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis/*microbiology
Tomography, X-Ray Computed