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An Bras Dermatol 2021 May 21. Epub 2021 May 21.

Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

The species of the Cryptococcus neoformans complex show different epidemiological patterns in the infection of immunosuppressed or immunocompetent individuals, and a common tropism peculiarity for the central nervous system. Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis is a rare clinical entity, with manifestations that are initially restricted to the skin through fungal inoculation, and the absence of systemic disease. The authors report in the present study the case of a 61-year-old immunocompetent man, with a rapidly evolving mucoid tumor on abrasions in contact with bird droppings on the forearm. Read More

Ther Adv Infect Dis 2021 Jan-Dec;8:20499361211014769. Epub 2021 May 5.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, P.O. Box, 166, Gulu, Uganda.

Background: A better understanding of the epidemiology of cryptococcal infection in HIV-negative individuals is an international research interest. Immune dysfunction in diabetes mellitus (DM) significantly increases the risk of acquiring and reactivation of infection due to . Risk factors and outcomes of cryptococcosis in DM are not well documented. Read More

Mycopathologia 2021 Apr 3. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China.

Disseminated cryptococcosis primarily affects immunosuppressed patients and has a poor outcome if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Skin lesions are rarely manifest causing misdiagnosis. We present a case of cryptococcal cellulitis with severe pain in a kidney transplant recipient on long-term immunosuppressive therapy. Read More

Case Rep Dermatol 2021 Jan-Apr;13(1):89-97. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Department of Dermatology, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland.

is an opportunistic germ, usually causing infections in immunocompromised patients. The main sources of infection with are excrement from birds, decomposing wood, fruit, and vegetables. Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis (PCC) is a clinical entity, differing from secondary cutaneous cryptococcosis and systematic infection. Read More

Case Rep Med 2021 11;2021:6692767. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

General Surgery Department, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Background: is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that leads to life-threatening infections. Cryptococcal infections are mainly reported in HIV patients and less commonly encountered in non-HIV immunocompromised host. () is the most common species causing diseases in humans which can be presented as pulmonary, meningitis, cutaneous, and/or disseminated cryptococcosis. Read More

Dermatology 2021 Feb 24:1-6. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Department of Pathology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi, India.

Background: Diagnosis of extrapulmonary histoplasmosis in HIV seronegative and immunocompetent patients is often challenging, so a high index of suspicion is required. Cutaneous manifestation of infection shows a wide spectrum of lesions including erythematous plaques; maculopapules; crusted, verrucous, or desquamative papules and nodules; abscesses; and mucocutaneous ulcers among others. Due to the variations in its clinical presentation, histopathology plays a very important role in the detection of spores and the confirmation of diagnosis. Read More

Germs 2020 Dec 28;10(4):388-391. Epub 2020 Dec 28.

MD, PhD, Infectious Diseases Unit, Hippokration Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece.

Introduction: Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is a life-threatening disease affecting mainly immunocompromised hosts.

Case Report: We present a case of a 64-year-old immunocompetent patient, who initially developed a traumatic scalp skin infection due to . The patient received oral fluconazole and subsequently liposomal amphotericin B due to the development of resistance with resolution of the infection. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2021 Mar 6;40(3):647-650. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale di Monza ASST-Monza, Desio Hospital, via Mazzini 1, 20833, Desio, Monza and Brianza, Italy.

In recent years, the frequency of infections due to saprophytic fungi has increased. Cryptococcus laurentii, recently classified as Papiliotrema laurentii, is responsible for fungemia, meningitis, and superficial infections. Here, we report the first case of cutaneous Papiliotrema (Cryptococcus) laurentii infection in a 23-year-old Caucasian woman affected by an autoimmune thyroiditis with hypothyroidism. Read More

Dermatol Online J 2020 Jun 15;26(6). Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH.

Cryptococcosis is a rare opportunistic infection with morphologically diverse cutaneous presentations. Primary infection typically occurs in the lungs with subsequent hematogenous dissemination to other organ systems, especially in immunocompromised patients. Herein, we report a woman in her 70's who presented with pruritic, umbilicated papulonodules of the bilateral upper and lower extremities present for many weeks. Read More

Ann Geriatr Med Res 2020 Jun 5;24(2):148-151. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Department of Dermatology, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.

is an encapsulated yeast that can be found in pigeon droppings, hay, and dust. Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis (PCC) without systemic involvement is recognized as a distinct clinical condition and is rarely reported in immunocompetent patients. A 78-year-old woman with no history of other diseases except for hypertension presented with a painful diffuse erythematous plaque along with oozing on left forearm that had lasted for 7 weeks. Read More

Cureus 2020 May 23;12(5):e8254. Epub 2020 May 23.

Infectious Disease, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, ITA.

We report the case of a 61-year-old patient with a history of prostate cancer affected by bone metastasis. He presented to our attention for ulcerous and necrotic cutaneous lesions unresponsive to antibiotics. The spread of cutaneous lesions and the onset of neurological symptoms suggested a cryptococcal disease, which was confirmed by lumbar puncture and cutaneous biopsy. Read More

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2020;53:e20200120. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual de São Paulo, Programa de Residência Médica em Dermatologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

IDCases 2020 15;21:e00810. Epub 2020 May 15.

Infectious Disease Department, University of Missouri Hospital and Clinic, 1 Hospital Dr, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.

is an encapsulated heterobasidiomycetous fungus responsible for opportunistic infections worldwide in immunocompromised patients. Clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic respiratory tract colonization to disseminated infection in any human body part. The central nervous system (CNS) and pulmonary diseases garner most of the clinical attention. Read More

Postepy Dermatol Alergol 2020 Apr 5;37(2):154-158. Epub 2020 May 5.

Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.

Due to constantly growing population of immunocompromised patients the fungi became a widespread threat to modern medicine. HIV carriers, solid organ transplant recipients constitute most of those patients. Cryptococcosis is a frequent cause of life-threatening infections, affecting mostly immunosuppressed patients. Read More

Mycopathologia 2020 06 17;185(3):595-596. Epub 2020 May 17.

Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou Medical University, Beijing Road 4, Yunyan District, Guiyang, China.

JAAD Case Rep 2020 May 29;6(5):388-389. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.

Pol Merkur Lekarski 2020 Apr;48(284):108-111

Medical University of Warsaw, Poland: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Medicine.

Solid organ transplant recipients are specific group due to taken immunosuppressive agents. This can result in side effects including infections caused by rare opportunistic pathogens.

A Case Report: A 64-year old woman after orthotopic liver transplantation due to primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis was admitted to hospital because of several infections. Read More

Med Mycol Case Rep 2020 Jun 31;28:33-35. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Centre of Dermatovenereology, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Immunosuppression after solid-organ transplantation can lead to opportunistic infections as cryptococcosis. A 69-year-old female, cadaveric renal-transplant recipient, manifested with ulcerative lesions on the 7th month of immunosuppression. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cryptococcosis. Read More

JFMS Open Rep 2020 Jan-Jun;6(1):2055116920912560. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Case Summary: An 11-year-old spayed female cat presented with a 6-month history of a progressive nodular skin disease with concurrent, ocular lesions, intermittent vomiting, halitosis and weight loss. The cat had received different topical treatments without success prior to referral to the Dermatology Department of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University. Several fine-needle aspirations of the lesions showed a vast number of macrophages with intra-cytoplasmic inclusions compatible with species. Read More

J Dermatol 2020 May 24;47(5):551-553. Epub 2020 Feb 24.

Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku, Japan.

Cutaneous cryptococcosis is classified as localized cutaneous cryptococcosis and cutaneous manifestations of disseminated cryptococcosis. The former presents as lesions, confined to isolated parts of the skin, which are neither systemically disseminated nor associated with cryptococcal fungemia or antigenemia. The latter presents as lesions through dissemination of Cryptococcus from visceral organs such as the lungs, with most cases being immunosuppressed hosts. Read More

Harefuah 2020 Jan;159(1):14-17

Department of Dermatology, Beilinson Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel.

Introduction: Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungus which causes severe morbidity and mortality among immune-compromised patients. Cutaneous manifestations of systemic cryptococcosis are rare and may include a papulo-nodular rash, ulcers, cellulitis, molluscum contagiosum-like papules and more. The Tzanck smear is a well-known simple diagnostic test which can be performed bedside, in order to characterize cell cytology. Read More

An Bras Dermatol 2019 Nov - Dec;94(6):744-746. Epub 2019 Oct 24.

Department of Dermatology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address:

This report describes a case of unusual deep skin ulcers with tortuous sinus tract formation in an immunocompetent woman. She was initially diagnosed with a Staphylococcus aureus skin infection and histopathologically diagnosed with pyoderma gangrenosum. However, culture from the deep end of ribbon gauze inserted into the subcutaneous sinus tract revealed shiny, light-yellow mucoid colonies, which were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans var. Read More

Med Mycol J 2019 ;60(4):101-107

Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Kumamoto University.

Cutaneous cryptococcosis is classified either as primary or secondary based on the route of infection. The disease can also be classified either as localized cutaneous cryptococcosis or cutaneous manifestations of disseminated cryptococcosis. However, from a physician's point of view, whether lesions are localized to the skin or are disseminated/systemic is more important than the route of infection. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2019 10;19(10):1148

Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore; Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore. Electronic address:

JAAD Case Rep 2019 May 7;5(5):433-435. Epub 2019 May 7.

Department of Dermatology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

J Infect Chemother 2019 May 21;25(5):379-384. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Department of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Aichi Medical University Hospital, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan; Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Aichi Medical University Hospital, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan. Electronic address:

A 76-year-old Japanese woman was admitted due to uncontrolled cellulitis of the right lower leg. She had deep vein thrombosis on the right limb. Moreover, she had a long history of rheumatoid arthritis treated with corticosteroids. Read More

Pediatr Int 2019 Feb 11;61(2):198-199. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, St Joseph's Children's Hospital, Paterson, New Jersey, USA.

Mycopathologia 2019 Apr 1;184(2):341-343. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3, Kasumi, Minami, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.

An 82-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a deep skin ulcer in her right lower limb. Although the skin biopsy showed necrosis and neutrophil infiltration, we could not initially detect any pathogen. Chest radiography showed multiple nodules despite the lack of respiratory symptoms or fever, and the serum latex agglutination test for cryptococcus showed an elevated titer (1:512). Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Dec 3;11(1). Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Bracknell, UK.

is an encapsulated yeast which causes opportunistic infection in the context of immunosuppression, including advanced HIV infection. Cryptococcal infection is systemic and can result in a fatal meningoencephalitis. Cutaneous lesions occur in 15% of those with systemic cryptococcosis and may be the first indicator of infection. Read More

Cutis 2018 Nov;102(5):E30-E31

Department of Dermatology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA.