Cryptococcus albidus Fungemia in an Immunosuppressed Child: Case Report and Systematic Literature Review

Cryptococcus albidus, synonymous with Naganishia albida, rarely causes opportunistic infection in immunocompromised individuals. Its clinical features, particularly in children, are not well defined. Here, we report a case of C albidus fungemia in an immunosuppressed child; we also present results of a systematic review, for which we searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science using the keywords "cryptococcus" and "albidus." Our goal was to describe the spectrum of disease, diagnostic approaches, therapies, and outcomes. We identified 20 cases of invasive infection, only 2 of which involved children, and 7 cases of noninvasive infection. The reports originated in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Of those with invasive infection, 16 (80%) patients had an underlying chronic disorder or had received immunosuppressive therapy, 8 (40%) had fungemia, and 6 (30%) had a central nervous system infection. The attributable case fatality rate was 40%. C albidus is an opportunistic yeast that can rarely cause life-threatening fungemia and central nervous system infection in individuals of any age, especially those who are immunocompromised.