Unilateral leg pain caused by cryptococcal myositis: An unusual presentation of disseminated cryptococcosis in a kidney transplant recipient. 2021

Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Cryptococcal disease is a rare but often serious infection in solid organ transplant recipients, commonly presenting as meningitis and pneumonia but can rarely cause myositis. We report the case of a 43-year-old female kidney transplant recipient with two previous graft failures requiring re-transplantations who presented with a 1-month duration of worsening unilateral leg pain, swelling, and shortness of breath. Blood cultures isolated Cryptococcus neoformans. A calf biopsy was performed and histopathology revealed myonecrosis with yeast forms consistent with Cryptococcus spp. Liposomal amphotericin B (LamB) was administered. Her course was complicated by hypoxemic respiratory failure with development of ground glass opacities on chest imaging. Work-up revealed bacterial and C neoformans pneumonia and probable Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) She received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and LamB and was discharged on fluconazole. Shortly thereafter she was re-admitted with confusion, septic shock, and multi-organ failure. Work-up revealed PJP with subsequent development of cryptococcal meningitis. Despite aggressive management, she expired. Disseminated cryptococcal infection may manifest as myositis. Presence of cryptococcal infection is a marker of severe net state of immunosuppression (IS), hence, presence of other opportunistic infections is likely. Early recognition of cryptococcal infection, institution of targeted therapy, and IS reduction are important to improve overall survival.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007866 Leg The inferior part of the lower extremity between the KNEE and the ANKLE. Legs
D009220 Myositis Inflammation of a muscle or muscle tissue. Inflammatory Myopathy,Myositis, Focal,Myositis, Infectious,Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies,Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy,Idiopathic Inflammatory Myositis,Infectious Myositis,Inflammatory Muscle Diseases,Inflammatory Myopathies, Idiopathic,Inflammatory Myopathy, Idiopathic,Muscle Diseases, Inflammatory,Myopathies, Idiopathic Inflammatory,Myopathy, Inflammatory,Myositis, Proliferative,Focal Myositides,Focal Myositis,Infectious Myositides,Inflammatory Muscle Disease,Inflammatory Myopathies,Muscle Disease, Inflammatory,Myopathies, Inflammatory,Myopathy, Idiopathic Inflammatory,Myositides,Myositides, Focal,Myositides, Infectious,Myositides, Proliferative,Proliferative Myositides,Proliferative Myositis
D010146 Pain An unpleasant sensation induced by noxious stimuli which are detected by NERVE ENDINGS of NOCICEPTIVE NEURONS. Suffering, Physical,Ache,Pain, Burning,Pain, Crushing,Pain, Migratory,Pain, Radiating,Pain, Splitting,Aches,Burning Pain,Burning Pains,Crushing Pain,Crushing Pains,Migratory Pain,Migratory Pains,Pains, Burning,Pains, Crushing,Pains, Migratory,Pains, Radiating,Pains, Splitting,Physical Suffering,Physical Sufferings,Radiating Pain,Radiating Pains,Splitting Pain,Splitting Pains,Sufferings, Physical
D003453 Cryptococcosis Fungal infection caused by genus CRYPTOCOCCUS. C gattii Infection,C neoformans Infection,C. gattii Infection,C. neoformans Infection,Cryptococcus Infection,Cryptococcus Infections,Cryptococcus gattii Infection,Torulosis,Cryptococcus neoformans Infection,C gattii Infections,C neoformans Infections,C. gattii Infections,C. neoformans Infections,Cryptococcoses,Cryptococcus gattii Infections,Cryptococcus neoformans Infections,Infection, C gattii,Infection, C neoformans,Infection, C. gattii,Infection, C. neoformans,Infection, Cryptococcus,Infection, Cryptococcus gattii,Infection, Cryptococcus neoformans,Infections, C gattii,Infections, C. neoformans,Toruloses
D003455 Cryptococcus neoformans A species of the fungus CRYPTOCOCCUS. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans. Blastomyces neoformans,Debaryomyces neoformans,Filobasidiella neoformans,Lipomyces neoformans,Saccharomyces neoformans,Torula neoformans,Torulopsis neoformans,Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000935 Antifungal Agents Substances that destroy fungi by suppressing their ability to grow or reproduce. They differ from FUNGICIDES, INDUSTRIAL because they defend against fungi present in human or animal tissues. Anti-Fungal Agents,Antifungal Agent,Fungicides, Therapeutic,Antibiotics, Antifungal,Therapeutic Fungicides,Agent, Antifungal,Anti Fungal Agents,Antifungal Antibiotics
D016030 Kidney Transplantation The transference of a kidney from one human or animal to another. Grafting, Kidney,Renal Transplantation,Transplantation, Kidney,Transplantation, Renal,Kidney Grafting,Kidney Transplantations,Renal Transplantations,Transplantations, Kidney,Transplantations, Renal

Related Publications

Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
February 2024, Pediatric transplantation,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
January 1981, Archives of internal medicine,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
January 2022, IDCases,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
January 2014, Medecine et sante tropicales,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
September 2025, Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
September 2022, Respirology case reports,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
January 2023, Skinmed,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
August 2011, Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
March 2024, Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society,
Audun J Lier, and Sarthak Virmani, and Ysabel Ilagan-Ying, and Nalin Leelatian, and Armine Darbinyan, and Maricar F Malinis
December 1997, International journal of STD & AIDS,
Copied contents to your clipboard!