Histopathology, serology and cultures in the diagnosis of cryptococcosis.
Cryptococcosis is one of the most common opportunistic fungal infections in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We report 13 cases of cryptococcal infection based on histopathology, serology and cultures. Epidemiological analysis, histochemical techniques of hematoxilin and eosin (HE) and Grocot's silver (GMS), as well special histochemical techniques such as Mayer's mucicarmine (MM) and Fontana-Masson (FM), cryptococcal antigen test (CrAg) and isolation on fungal media: Sabouraud's (SAB), brain-heart infusion agar (BHI) and canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue (CGB) agar were analyzed. Unsatisfactory staining results by MM stain associated to negative titers by CrAg test, which FM stain confirmed that capsule-deficient Cryptococcus infections were observed in four cases. Eight isolated cases were identified as follows: six cases were infection with Cryptococcus neoformans and two cases were Cryptococcus gattii.
Gazzoni
Alexandra Flávia
AF
Doutora em Ciências Pneumológicas, Unidade de Microbiologia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Espanha.
Severo
Cecília Bittencourt
CB
Salles
Emily Ferreira
EF
Severo
Luiz Carlos
LC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D055815:Young Adult
D004396:Coloring Agents