title: Pulmonary Cryptococcosis in HIV- sero-negative patients: case series from India.
abstract: Pulmonary cryptococcosis is likely to be misdiagnosed due to relatively non-specific clinical and radiological features. It is more frequently associated with immuno-suppressed conditions especially acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Four cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis were diagnosed over a period of eleven years. All patients in this case series were human immune-deficiency virus (HIV)-negative. The predisposing factors in these patients were diabetes mellitus (DM), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), post-partum and pregnancy in one each of the patients. Relapse was seen in two cases. All the patients survived due to strict follow-up. Pulmonary cryptococcosis is common in non-AIDS patients and it warrants rapid diagnosis, treatment and follow-up to prevent relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, V.M.M.C. and Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Shimpi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.forename: Malini R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Capoor
authors.forename: Rupali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mallik
authors.forename: Sonal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Animesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Geetika
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Samudrala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raghavan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000175:diagnosis; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: Pulmonary cryptococcosis; antifungal therapy; non-AIDS patients; relapse