Cryptococcal pleural infection in a recurrent pleural effusion: a case report

Cryptococcal pleural infection is rare with about 50 cases reported. It tends to occur in immunocompromised individuals. We describe a 38-year-old male who presented with a lymphocytic exudative right pleural effusion and a raised pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) level. He was initially treated for pleural tuberculosis, but presented again with worsening pleural effusion 6 weeks later. A thoracoscopic pleural biopsy revealed chronic nodular granulomatous pleuritis with cryptococcal organisms present. The repeat pleural fluid culture was positive for Cryptococcus neoformans. He was started on intravenous amphotericin B and oral flucytosine for 1 week, and then continued on oral fluconazole. He was subsequently diagnosed to have acute myeloid leukaemia. His peripheral blood film showed presence of blast cells (33%), with flow cytometry showing increased myeloblast population. Lymphocytic exudative pleural effusions with raised ADA levels in an immunocompromised patient can be due to opportunistic fungal infections.