정상 면역기능을 가진 환자에서 발생한 폐크립토콕쿠스증 1례

Abstract

Pulmonary cryptococcosis is an uncommon disease caused by the inhalation of Cryptococcus neoformans. Cryptococcal infection can disseminate through the blood which lead frequently to meningoencephalitis, especially in patients with profound cellular immune deficiency such as human immunodeficiency virus infection. Here, we report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in a 60-year-old male patient who was immunocompetent and had no apparent predisposing factors such as organ transplantation, prolonged corticosteroid treatment, hematologic malignancy and diabetes. Radiologic examination revealed air-space consolidation and nodules with cavitations. Many yeasts with capsules were found in specimens obtained through percutaneous needle aspiration. Based on these features, the patient was diagnosed as pulmonary cryptococcosis and underwent the treatment with antifungal agent, fluconazole, for 6 months which resulted in improvement of clinical manifestation.