Cutaneous Cryptococcosis: a marker of life threatening disseminated cryptococcosis in HIV AIDS

Abstract

Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic infection caused by a ubiquitous encapsulated yeast, Cryptococcus neoformans. Affects 5 – 10 % of patients with HIV worldwide. Disseminated cryptococcosis is one of the AIDS defining criteria and the most common cause of life threatening meningitis. Upto 20% of patients with disseminated disease can have skin involvement. Cutaneous lesions in disseminated cryptococcosis are seldom pathognomonic and portent neurological involvement. The significance of skin lesions may provide the first evidence of dissemination and indicate a poor prognosis, however, earlier recognition and treatment would improve survival. Herein we report a case of cryptococcal meningitis with skin lesions in a HIV seropositive patient.

Keywords

• cutaneous cryptococcosis
• HIV AIDS
• dissemination