Gastric cryptococcal infection as an initial presentation of AIDS: a rare case report

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans has been recognized as a human pathogen over centuries. This has achieved new prominence in the recent years as it is an opportunistic fungi causing fatal, deep mycotic infections in immunocompromised states. Although cryptococcus is principally a pathogen of central nervous system, wide variety of other organs may also be involved. Gastrointestinal cryptococcosis is rarely reported either as an isolated finding or in a disseminated disease. However, even with the strikingly increased incidence of the disease, occurrence of obvious gastrointestinal symptoms directly attributable to cryptococcosis is outstandingly rare. We report a case of gastric cryptococcal infection with esophageal herpes as an initial presentation in an AIDS patient.