title: Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii serotype B, in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: The authors report a male patient, a seller with no detected immunosuppression, with an extensive ulcerated skin lesion localized on the left forearm, caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii serotype B. Oral treatment with fluconazole was successful. A review of the literature showed the rarity of this localization in HIV-negative patients. In contrast, skin lesions frequently occurs in HIV-positive patients, with Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans serotype A predominating as the etiological agent. In this paper, the pathogenicity of C. neoformans to skin lesions in patients immunocompromised or not, is discussed, showing the efficacy of fluconazole for the treatment of these processes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Micologia Médica, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos da Silva
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Lacaz
authors.forename: Elisabeth Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Heins-Vaccari
authors.forename: Giovanna L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Arriagada
authors.forename: Eduardo Lacaz
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Célia A L
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Prearo
authors.forename: Simone Miwa
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Corim
authors.forename: Marilena dos Anjos
authors.initials: Mdos A
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male