COVID-19-associated Pulmonary Cryptococcosis: A Rare Case Presentation.

Abstract

Multiple case reports and case series report a surge in opportunistic infections like aspergillosis, mucormycosis, and reactivation of cytomegalovirus infection in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. We hereby report the first case to the best of our knowledge of pulmonary cryptococcosis in a patient who had successfully recovered from severe COVID-19 illness. The pulmonary cryptococcosis spectrum ranges from asymptomatic infection to frank acute respiratory distress syndrome leading to respiratory failure. Pulmonary cryptococcosis is often underdiagnosed because its clinical presentation, radiographic features, and serologic laboratory investigations are generally inconclusive. The saprophytic colonization of fungus as opposed to invasive disease cannot be assessed from either culture of sputum or currently available serologic tests. Pulmonary cryptococcosis close association with COVID-19 can be further established with reporting of more cases. Hereby, we propose the term CAPC (COVID-19-associated pulmonary cryptococcosis) for such cases. How to cite this article: Sharma S, Agrawal G, Das S. COVID-19-associated Pulmonary Cryptococcosis: A Rare Case Presentation. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(1):129-132.