Pulmonary tuberculosis and Cryptococcal native knee septic arthritis with osteomyelitis in an immunocompetent patient: Mycobacterial effect on CD4 function and cellular immunity

Abstract

Clinically significant cryptococcal disease is typically seen in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, Cryptococcosis has also been observed among non-HIV immunocompromised hosts. Cryptococcosis and tuberculosis (TB) infections both occur due to impaired cell mediated immunity but co-infection is rare among immunocompromised patients. Co-infection of these pathogens is even less reported in immunocompetent hosts. We present a case of Cryptococcal left native knee septic arthritis with tibial osteomyelitis in an HIV negative patient with recently active tuberculosis.

Keywords

• Coinfection
• Cryptococcosis
• Tuberculosis
• Immunocompetent
• Lymphopenia