From Histoplasmosis to Cryptococcosis: A diagnostic journey of pediatric scalp abscess

Diptanu Paul; Amit Satpathy; Pritinanda Mishra; Punyatoya Kar; Rumita Dey; Pritika Gahlot; Mukund Sable; Madhuchhanda Das; Vinaykumar Hallur

doi:10.1016/j.ijmmb.2024.100753

From Histoplasmosis to Cryptococcosis: A diagnostic journey of pediatric scalp abscess

Indian J Med Microbiol. 2024 Nov-Dec:52:100753. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2024.100753. Epub 2024 Nov 20.

Authors

Diptanu Paul¹, Amit Satpathy², Pritinanda Mishra³, Punyatoya Kar⁴, Rumita Dey⁵, Pritika Gahlot⁶, Mukund Sable⁷, Madhuchhanda Das⁸, Vinaykumar Hallur⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 110029, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751019, India. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39542255
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2024.100753

Abstract

A 3-year-old boy being treated for disseminated tuberculosis with antitubercular drugs and steroids developed scalp swelling. Needle aspirate revealed yeasts inside macrophages, initially diagnosed as Histoplasmosis but later confirmed as Cryptococcosis. Treatment with liposomal amphotericin B and fluconazole resulted in lesion resolution. Here we report a rare instance of disseminated cryptococcosis with skin involvement, possibly the first documented pediatric case of cryptococcosis from Odisha.

Keywords: Cryptococcus; Cutaneous cryptococcosis; Fungal abscess.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Abscess / diagnosis
Abscess / drug therapy
Abscess / microbiology
Amphotericin B* / therapeutic use
Antifungal Agents* / therapeutic use
Child, Preschool
Cryptococcosis* / diagnosis
Cryptococcosis* / drug therapy
Cryptococcosis* / microbiology
Fluconazole* / therapeutic use
Histoplasmosis* / diagnosis
Histoplasmosis* / drug therapy
Histoplasmosis* / microbiology
Humans
Male
Scalp* / microbiology
Scalp* / pathology
Treatment Outcome

Substances

Antifungal Agents
Amphotericin B
Fluconazole
liposomal amphotericin B