Arthritis caused by <em>Cryptococcus neoformans</em> infection: A case report

Min,Juan; Zhao,Ying; Du,Jie; Ning,Yongzhong; Wu,Zhiqiang

doi:10.3892/br.2023.1694

January-2024 Volume 20 Issue 1

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January-2024 Volume 20 Issue 1

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Case Report Open Access

Arthritis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans infection: A case report

Authors:
- Juan Min
- Ying Zhao
- Jie Du
- Yongzhong Ning
- Zhiqiang Wu
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Microbiology Laboratory, Guang'anmen Hospital (Baoding), China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China, General Medicine Department, Guang'anmen Hospital (Baoding), China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Baoding, Hebei 071000, P.R. China, Microbiology Room, Beijing Chuiyangliu Hospital, Beijing 100020, P.R. China

Copyright: © Min et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.
Article Number: 6
|
Published online on: November 20, 2023

https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2023.1694
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Abstract

Cryptococcal infections are uncommon in individuals with normal immune functions. These infections commonly affect the lungs and central nervous system; however, there are a few reports of infection in the bone and joint areas. The current study reported a case of knee joint infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans in China. A 56‑year‑old man presented to The China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital Baoding Hospital (Baoding, China) with severe anemia and lung inflammation. Initially, there was no obvious cause of swelling or pain in the knee joints. However, after the patient presented with new swollen and painful knee joint symptoms, pus culture and cryptococcal antigen detection tests confirmed C. neoformans infection. After pus drainage and fluconazole treatment, the patient's condition substantially improved. Clinical awareness of C. neoformans infections should be promoted. In suspected cases, puncture fluid or tissue pathogen testing should be performed as early as possible to avoid misdiagnosis and serious consequences of delayed treatment.

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