title: HIV infection presenting as bone marrow cryptococcosis.
abstract: Disseminated cryptococcal infection is an uncommon initial manifestation in immunocompromised patients. We report a rare case of a 40-year-old female presenting with fever and burning epigastrium. Peripheral blood film revealed a leukoerythroblastic picture with thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow aspiration showed granulomas along with cryptococcal yeast forms. The ELISA test for detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen was positive. Disseminated cryptococcosis can develop as the first manifestation of HIV infection in previously healthy individuals and granulomas in such bone marrow aspiration smears are a valuable clue to an underlying opportunistic infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pad Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Arpana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dharwadkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pad Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Shruti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vimal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pad Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Archana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Buch
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pad Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Panicker
keywords: Bone marrow; cryptococcus; granuloma; immunosuppression