Primary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis in a Patient with Pulmonary Tuberculosis / 대한의진균학회지

ABSTRACT

Cutaneous manifestation due to Cryptococcus neoformans is mostly reported in cases of the secondary findings to hematogenous dissemination while the primary cutaneous cryptococcosis (PCC) is a very rare. PCC usually occurs in immunocompromised hosts such as AIDS, hematopoietic malignancies, transplant recipients, and chronic corticosteroid users. Primary cryptococcosis and tuberculosis co-infection has been rarely reported in Korean literature. We report a case of PCC in a 22-year-old male with pulmonary tuberculosis, who had asymptomatic erythematous plaque and papules on the right cheek for 3 months. Histopathological examination showed numerous encapsulated round spores in the dermis and the organism was identified as Cryptococcus neoformans on fungal culture. The lesion was successfully treated with oral fluconazole for 6 months, and pulmonary tuberculosis was resolved after anti-tuberculosis therapy for 9 months.