Concurrent cryptococcosis in a patient with Hodgkin's Disease

Criptococose em um paciente com Linfoma de Hodgkin

IMAGENS EM HEMATOLOGIA CLÍNICA IMAGES IN CLINICAL HEMATOLOGY

Concurrent cryptococcosis in a patient with Hodgkin's Disease

Criptococose em um paciente com Linfoma de Hodgkin

Fernando Callera^I; Hélio Okamura^II

^IMédico do Serviço de Hematologia do Vale do Paraíba

^IIMédico do CIPAX – Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica e Citopatologia

^{Correspondência}

A 58-year-old man was referred to our facility with anemia, thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly that had been identified on computed tomography (CT). He stated that he had had recurrent fever (38ºC to 38.5ºC), fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. He was asymptomatic until four months before admission in our facility. On physical examination, the patient was afebrile. The head, neck and lungs were normal and, he had no signs of chronic liver disease. Petechiae were present over the legs. The neurologic examination showed no abnormalities. Blood levels of aminotransferases (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose and serum LDH were normal. The white-cell count was 4.5 x 10⁹/L, with an absolute neutrophil count of 2.5 x 10⁹/L. The hemoglobin level was 9.5 g/dL and platelet count was 51 x 10⁹/L. The examination of a biopsy specimen of the bone marrow disclosed normal trilineage hematopoiesis; flow cytometry disclosed no abnormal cells and cultures for fastidious bacteria, mycobacteria and fungi were negative. A test for human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculin test were negative. CT of the chest showed no abnormalities. Repeated CT of the abdomen showed splenomegaly without retroperitoneum lymphadenopaty or hepatomegaly. After a rapid and progressive downhill course complicated by jaundice, renal failure and, a cardiopulmonary arrest, the patient died. At autopsy, he was found to have had Hodgkin's disease (HD) in the spleen. The occurrence of Reed-Sternberg cells (^{Panel A}, circle - Hematoxilin and Eosin) and the immunohistochemistry positivity for CD20, CD30 and the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (^{Panels B}, ^C and ^D respectively) proved the diagnosis of HD. Interestingly, a Cryptococcus infection was also observed in the spleen. The Cryptococcus appeared in the characteristic cystic lesions result of the abundant mucoid material secreted by the yeasts (^{Panel E}, circles). A special stain with Mayer mucicarmine proved Cryptococcus infection (^{Panel F} - Cryptococcus is the only fungi that has a mucicarmine positive capsula).

There are only a few reports of concurrent systemic cryptococcosis in patients with Hodgkins disease.^1-4 Unusual sites of infection include the adrenal gland, heart, liver and spleen; Systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus frequently becomes life threatening in patients with cellular immunodeficiencies.⁵

Recebido: 09/3/2008

Aceito: 20/3/2008

Avaliação: Editor e dois revisores externos

Conflito de interesse: não declarado

• 1. Rosset L, Toetsch M, Kaiser L, Helg C. Isolated subcutaneous cryptococcal abscess after a BEACOPP regimen for Hodgkins lymphoma. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2004;23(7):578-9.
• 2. Korfel A, Menssen HD, Schwartz S, Thiel E. Cryptococcosis in Hodgkins disease: description of two cases and review of the literature. Ann Hematol. 1998;76(6):283-6.
• 3. Nowicka J, Mazur G, Kuliczkowski K, Gola A, Kochman A, Baran E, Walów B. Cryptococcal infection and lymphogranulomatous infiltration of the central nervous system in Hodgkins disease. Mycoses. 1994;37(11-12):439-41
• 4. Raikumar K, Raikumar T, Sagar TG, Maitreyan V, Shanta V. Cryptococcal meningitis in a patient with Hodgkins lymphoma. J Assoc Physicians India. 1992;40(10):707-8.
• 5. Richardson MD, Warnock DW. Cryptococcosis. In: fungal Infection: Diagnosis and Management, Second Edition. Oxford: Blackwell Science; 1997. p. 149-59.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  21 Oct 2008
• Date of issue
  Apr 2008