PULMONARY CRYPTOCOCCOSIS DUE TO A CAPSULE-DEFICIENT STRAIN CONFUSED WITH METASTATIC LUNG-CANCER

A patient with hepatocellular cancer developed pulmonary cryptococcosi s due to infection with a capsule-deficient Cryptococcus neoformans. P ulmonary lesions initially diagnosed as metastatic cancer by chest x-r ay film and CT scan were subsequently found to be fungal granulomas by autopsy. Although morphologic studies of the fungi were insufficient to render a specific mycologic diagnosis because of the absence of enc apsulated yeasts, fluorescent antibody studies confirmed the diagnosis of cryptococcosis. The use of various stains and electron microscopy for the pathological differential diagnosis of cryptococcosis caused b y capsule-deficient yeasts is discussed.