Bone marrow nonneoplastic
Infectious / inflammatory
Cryptococcus
Author: Dragos C. Luca, M.D.
Last author update: 1 January 2014
Last staff update: 2 August 2019
Copyright: 2002-2019, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Cryptococcus [title] bone marrow
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Case reports | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional referencesCite this page: Luca DC. Cryptococcus. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/bonemarrowcryptococcus.html. Accessed June 3rd, 2023.
Definition / general
- Fungal infections are rare in bone marrow and peripheral blood, usually associated with immunosuppression including HIV (Pathol Res Pract 2004;200:591)
- Cryptococcosis has been reported in transplant recipients but Candida and Aspergillus are much more frequent
- Immunosuppressive drugs (e.g. Infliximab) increase the risk of cryptococcal infection
Case reports
- 37 year old man with disseminated cryptococcosis and nephrotic syndrome (Indian J Med Microbiol 2006;24:141)
- Cryptococcal sepsis diagnosed by bone marrow examination (J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2004;26:526)
- Auxotrophic pigmented Cryptococcus neoformans strain (Med Mycol 2002;40:1)
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Cryptococcal infection in bone marrow, like other fungal infections, typically shows granuloma formation with or without associated central necrosis (J Infect 2000;41:92, Malays J Pathol 2003;25:69)
- In patients with underlying immunodeficiency, a diffuse histiocytic hyperplasia without distinct granuloma formation may be seen
- Organisms may be apparent on routine preparations but their identification is enhanced with GMS, PAS, mucicarmine
- Has thick capsule (Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi 2005;44:902), may have hemophagocytosis (J Infect 1998;36:118)
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
H&E
GMS stain
