Cryptococcosis differential diagnosis
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Serge Korjian M.D.; Yazan Daaboul, M.D.
Overview
Cryptococcosis is more common among immunocompromised patients who are at high risk for other fungal, bacterial, and viral infections. Cryptococcal meningitis can be indistinguishable from bacterial or viral meningitis. Cryptococcosis must be differentiated from diseases that cause symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection (fever, dyspnea, cough) and meningitis (fever, headache, neck stiffness, focal neurological deficits) such as coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and community/hospital-acquired pneumonia. Cutaneous cryptococcosis in HIV/AIDS patients must be differentiated from molluscum contagiosum and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Differentiating Cryptococcosis from other Diseases
Cryptococcosis is more common among immunocompromised patients who are at high risk for other fungal, bacterial, and viral infections. It should be differentiated from the following disease:
- Bacterial/Viral Meningitis
- May be indistinguishable before antigen testing and CSF stain and culture.
- Bacterial coverage is recommended for all meningitides, even if cryptococcal meningitis is highly suspected.
- Bacterial/Viral Pneumonia[1]
- May be indistinguishable before antigen testing.
- May be equally as common as cryptococcal pneumonia in immunocompromised patients, more common in immunocompetent patients.
- Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia[1]
- Also a very common cause of pneumonia among HIV/AIDS patients with low CD4 counts.
- Cryptococcal pneumonia may present with ground glass opacities on chest X-ray.
- P. jirovecii is not usually associated with CNS disease.
- Tuberculosis[1]
- May present similarly given that immunocompromised status may prevent granuloma formation.
- Molluscum contagiosum[2]
- Is very similar in appearance to disseminated cryptococcosis manifesting on the skin (umbilicated lesions).
- Patients are usually less sick, as molluscum is restricted to the skin.
- Kaposi's Sarcoma[3][4]
- Cutaneous cryptococcosis may also present with violaceous papules.
- It can only be differentiated by biopsy.
- Coccidioidomycosis[5]
- Usually disease course is more protracted, except with severe immunocompromise.
- Not ubiquitous, more common is endemic areas in the Southwest United States.
- Histoplasmosis[5]
- Also related to contaminated with bird or bat droppings.
- Not ubiquitous. Common in the Central and Eastern United States.
- Blastomycosis[5]
- CNS involvement is much less common with blastomyces.
- Cutaneous manifestations may resemble cutaneous cryptococcosis
- Not ubiquitous, more common is endemic areas in North America.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Friedman EP, Miller RF, Severn A, Williams IG, Shaw PJ (1995). "Cryptococcal pneumonia in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". Clin Radiol. 50 (11): 756–60. PMID 7489624.
- ↑ Penneys NS, Hicks B (1985). "Unusual cutaneous lesions associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". J Am Acad Dermatol. 13 (5 Pt 1): 845–52. PMID 3001157.
- ↑ Jones C, Orengo I, Rosen T, Ellner K (1990). "Cutaneous cryptococcosis simulating Kaposi's sarcoma in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". Cutis. 45 (3): 163–7. PMID 2311432.
- ↑ Blauvelt A, Kerdel FA (1992). "Cutaneous cryptococcosis mimicking Kaposi's sarcoma as the initial manifestation of disseminated disease". Int J Dermatol. 31 (4): 279–80. PMID 1634295.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Boyars MC, Zwischenberger JB, Cox Jr CS. Clinical manifestations of pulmonary fungal infections. Journal of thoracic imaging. 1992 Sep 1;7(4):12-22.