Cryptococcosis is a subacute or chronic mycotic infection caused by cryptococcus neoformans with a special predilection for the lung, skin and central nervous system, but rarely involving the lymphatic system. Recently the authors have experienced two patients with cryptococcosis in volving the liver and lymph nodes. One was 31/4year old male and the other was 11 year old male. The former had suffered from severe abdominal pain since about 1 month ago and high fever developed 10days before admission. On physical examination, jaundice and hepatomegaly were noted with enlarged and tender lymph nodes in the neck and inguinal region. Bone marrow aspiration revealed increased cellularity with eosinophilia. Lymph node and liver biopsy specimens showed mand granulomas including epithelioid cells and Langhan's type giant cells containing numerous cryptococci. The budding cryptococci were also found in the cerebrospinal fluid prepared with India ink. The latter patient was admitted with the chief complaint of high fever and neck mass which had developed one week ago. On physical examination, enlarged lymph nodes were noted in the neck. But hepatomegaly or splenomegaly was not found. Lymph node bisopsy specimen revealed the same findings with the former case. They were treated with Amphotericin B with some improvement, but as the wre discharged because of poor economic condition the were not sufficiently followed up.
Abdominal Pain ; Amphotericin B ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child* ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Eosinophilia ; Epithelioid Cells ; Fever ; Giant Cells ; Granuloma ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; India ; Ink ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic System ; Male ; Neck ; Physical Examination ; Skin ; Splenomegaly