Cryptococcosis associated with crescentic glomerulonephritis

Pediatr Nephrol. 2008 May;23(5):827-30. doi: 10.1007/s00467-007-0732-7. Epub 2008 Feb 6.

Abstract

Crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is an uncommon form of renal injury in childhood. Whereas many infectious processes are known to be linked to CGN, fungal infections typically are not. This report describes an 11-year-old girl who presented with CGN, cutaneous anergy, and cryptococcal mediastinitis. Whereas cryptococcal disease in children is usually associated with immunodeficiency (inherited or acquired), extensive immunologic evaluation of the patient was notable only for relative CD4 lymphopenia with normal CD4/CD8 ratios. Testing for human immunodeficiency virus was negative. Clinical and diagnostic studies are presented, along with a review of the literature regarding glomerular disease and cryptococcal infections.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Fungal / immunology
  • Antigens, Fungal / isolation & purification
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Child
  • Cryptococcosis / complications*
  • Cryptococcosis / diagnosis
  • Cryptococcosis / microbiology
  • Cryptococcus neoformans / immunology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glomerulonephritis / complications*
  • Glomerulonephritis / diagnosis
  • Glomerulonephritis / immunology
  • Humans
  • Mediastinitis / complications*
  • Mediastinitis / diagnosis
  • Mediastinitis / microbiology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Tomography, Spiral Computed

Substances

  • Antigens, Fungal