A Case of Mediastinal and Pulmonary Cryptococcosis in a 3-Year-Old Immunocompetent Girl.
10.7581/pard.2011.21.4.350
- Author:
Hee Seon LEE
1
;
Hyun Bin PARK
;
Kyung Won KIM
;
Myung Hyun SOHN
;
Kyu Earn KIM
;
Myung Joon KIM
;
Sang Ho CHO
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. mhsohn@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Mediastinum;
Cryptococcosis;
Cryptococcus neoformans
- MeSH:
Central Nervous System;
Child;
Cryptococcosis;
Cryptococcus neoformans;
Fever;
Humans;
Immunocompromised Host;
Lung;
Lymph Nodes;
Mediastinum;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Preschool Child;
Thorax
- From:Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease
2011;21(4):350-355
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Cryptococcosis is an infrequently recognized infection in children, particularly those who are immunocompetent. The disease is mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen that primarily affects the central nervous system (CNS) and lungs. Most reports of children with cryptococcosis are of the CNS or disseminated infections among immunocompromised patients. This report is a case of a 3-year-old immunocompetent girl who presented with intermittent fever and cough; a large mass was found in the right infrahilar area on chest X-ray. Chest computed tomography revealed large conglomerated mediastinal lymph nodes caused by C. neoformans, which was confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction as well as a histological evaluation. The patient improved after a prolonged period of antifungal therapy. This is the only known report of mediastinal and pulmonary cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent child.
