title: A case of pulmonary cryptococcosis with large pericardial effusion diagnosed using cervical lymph node biopsy.
abstract: Pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) is a relatively rare infectious disease. It mainly involves the lungs; however, in some patients, the infection could spread to other parts of the body. PC mostly occurs in patients with immune deficiencies. However, PC infections have been reported in non-immunocompromised patients. The diagnosis of PC is challenging in patients without immune deficiencies. Here, the case of a 27-year-old immunocompetent woman who was diagnosed with PC was report. She had unexplained fever and a history of close contact with poultry feathers. Lesions were observed in the lungs, pleural cavity, pericardium, and cervical lymph nodes. Biopsy of the cervical lymph nodes helped in the pathological diagnosis of PC. She was treated with fluconazole, and the lesions disappeared. They present this case to encourage detailed inquiry of medical history in such patients, improve the diagnostic awareness of clinicians, and help reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Chizhou Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Chizhou People's Hospital, Chizhou, Anhui, 247100, China.
authors.forename: Xuchun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Shanghai, 200082, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chizhou Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Chizhou People's Hospital, Chizhou, Anhui, 247100, China.
authors.forename: Shubin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, China.
authors.forename: Gengyun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011379:Prognosis; D035583:Rare Diseases; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole
keywords: biopsy; cervical lymph node; pericardial effusion; pulmonary cryptococcosis