Activated dormant Cryptococcus gattii infection in a Dutch tourist who visited Vancouver Island (Canada): a molecular epidemiological approach

Abstract

An ongoing outbreak of Cryptococcus gattii-caused infections, which emerged on Vancouver Island and the Pacific Northwest, has affected more than 200 of the islands' residents, of whom eight died. While C. gattii infections are rarely described in travelers, we report a case of cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii in a patient treated with high dose corticosteroids for systemic lupus erythematosus induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia. She acquired the disease during a visit to Vancouver Island one year before the onset of the symptoms. This indicates that C. gattii may cause a dormant infection that can be activated during treatment with corticosteroids.