Case report. Cryptococcal cellulitis showing necrotizing vasculitis

A 65-year-old woman with refractory anaemia who had been treated with systemic corticosteroids for several months developed cryptococcal cellulitis of the right cubital fossa. She was treated empirically for a presumed bacterial cellulitis with little response. Histological examination of debrided tissue revealed Crytococcus as the causative organism. The tissue reaction involved suppurative inflammation with abscess formation in the dermis and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Necrotizing vasculitis, which has rarely been described in cryptococcosis, was seen in this case. Although the cellulitis was cured by local treatment in this patient, most previous reports recommended systemic antifungal therapy to treat cryptococcal cellulitis.