Pulmonary cryptococcosis

Overview pulmonary cryptococcal disease (pulmonary cryptococcosis) cryptococcal infection of subacute or chronic visceral fungal disease. Major violations of lung and central nervous system, but it may also be violations of bone, skin, mucous membrane and other organs. Pathogenesis of the bacteria usually enter the body through the respiratory tract. Lung infection is the launch site. Cryptococcal normal inhaled, cause lung infection, and disease is confined to the lung more, few symptoms, often self-healing tendencies. Because of excessive exertion or immune deficiency patients of chronic diseases (such as advanced cancer, leukemia, long-term high-dose hormones, broad-spectrum antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs and other treatment), after the inhalation of fungi forming lesions in the lungs, Hematogenous dissemination can be generalized, often invasion of the central nervous system. Pathological changes after the infection caused only mild inflammatory reaction. Pulmonary limitations or extensive granuloma formation, necrosis and empty rare, calcification and hilar lymphadenopathy extremely rare. Can also be formed under the pleural nodules. Cryptococcosis in the brain coronal plane parts of the gray matter lesions, and often can cause meningoencephalitis. Diagnosis of sputum, pleural fluid and cerebrospinal fluid for the ink smear or culture, can be detected when cryptococcal diagnosed. Complement binding reaction was also assist in diagnosis. Clinical manifestations of pulmonary cryptococcosis can exist independently, or with other parts of cryptococcal disease simultaneously. About 1 / 3 cases without any symptoms, frequent chest X-ray examination was found, sometimes misdiagnosed as lung cancer. Most patients have mild cough, cough or sputum small amount of mucus sputum, chest pain, fever, fatigue and weight loss, etc.. A few cases of acute pneumonia were performance, occasional chest pain or lung consolidation and pleural effusion signs. When complicated cerebrospinal meningitis, the symptoms were obvious and serious. Often moderate fever, high fever may even reach 40 C, and the emergence of meningoencephalitis symptoms and signs. X-ray : Bilateral lesions in the lungs of the lower styles, but also for the unilateral or confined to a lobe. Submissions may be isolated large spherical lesions or several nodular lesions around no obvious reaction, similar tumor; or diffuse miliary shadow; Flake showed infiltration or shadow. About 10% of patients with cavity formation. Treatment of this disease often reduced immune function of the disease, it should eliminate all predisposing factors. Early lung granuloma or limitations of space, use of antifungal treatment, when necessary surgical resection.