Cryptococcosis as a cause of nephrotic syndrome? A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

We present a case of a 74 years old male with cutaneous cryptococcosis of the right forearm. Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans was cultivated from the skin and from the bloodstream. He was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis) 21 months prior to admission, which was steroid-dependent. He was treated with prednisone and cyclosporine A. Concurrently with his renal disease he was also diagnosed as having disseminated severe tinea mannum, tinea corporis and tinea cruris; onychomycosis, skin eczema and psoriasis. After a prolonged course of anti-fungal therapy, his skin lesions as well as his nephrotic syndrome recovered completely. Follow up after 7 months without any anti-fungal or immunosuppression showed no skin or renal recurrence. We assume that the renal disease was related to the pre-existing cutaneous cryptococcosis, aggravated by immunosuppression, and discuss the close association between cutaneous cryptococcosis and nephrotic syndrome, as well as similar case reports in the literature. Keywords: Cryptococcus neoformans, Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis, Cryptococcemia, Psoriasis, Tinea, Nephrotic syndrome, Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, Misdiagnosis