Disseminated cryptococcosis initially presenting as cellulitis in a rheumatoid arthritis patient

Disseminated cryptococcosis initially presenting as cellulitis in a rheumatoid arthritis patient

J Chin Med Assoc. 2007 Jun
Lu HC, Yang YY, Huang YL, Chen TL, Chuang CL, Lee FY, Lee SD.
Department of Gastroenterology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Key Words: cellulitis, Cryptococcus neoformans, rheumatoid arthritis

Infection with Cryptococcus neoformans often occurs in immunocompromised hosts. It is usually acquired by invasion of the respiratory tract, and then the organisms may spread hematogenously to other viscera, mainly the central nervous system. Although there are some reports of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis, cryptococcal skin disease is a rare feature of disseminated cryptococcosis, and has a poor outcome if unrecognized and untreated. We present a case of cryptococcal cellulitis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who was receiving long-term steroid treatment.

Reviewing the literature, this is the first report of rheumatoid arthritis with disseminated cryptococcosis initially presenting as cellulitis.

Elsevier