Possible Pulmonary Cryptococcosis in a Patient with Crohn's Disease during Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Treatment: a Case Report and Literature Review

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases Vol. 65; no. 5; pp. 461 - 464
• Main Authors: Takazono, Takahiro, Izumikawa, Koichi, Yoshioka, Sumako, Matsuo, Nobuko, Yamakawa, Masaki, Suyama, Naofumi, Kohno, Shigeru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases Editorial Committee 2012
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - microbiology; Bronchoscopy; Crohn Disease - drug therapy; Crohn Disease - microbiology; Cryptococcosis - microbiology; Humans; Infliximab; Lung Diseases, Fungal - microbiology; Male; Radiography, Thoracic; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors
• ISSN: 1344-6304; 1884-2836
• DOI: 10.7883/yoken.65.461

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors are widely used as treatment agents for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease (CD). Infliximab (IFX) is a representative agent that has been used in Japan since 2002. Opportunistic infections by mycobacteria and fungi are well known in patients receiving IFX, and cryptococcosis, an invasive fungal infection, has been reported in RA with relatively high incidence, but it has rarely been reported in CD (1-11). In this study, we have reported a possible case of pulmonary cryptococcosis during IFX treatment in a patient with CD, and have reviewed previously reported cases (9-11).