Septic arthritis due to nonencapsulated cryptococcus neoformans with coexisting sarcoidosis

Abstract

Abstract A patient with septic arthritis of the knee due to a nonencapsulated strain of Cryptococcus neoformans neoformans is reported. Predisposing factors included repeated trauma and sarcoidosis. Serologic tests and pathologic examination were consistent with the mutant strains recovered from infected tissue. The organism was eradicated by combined synovectomy and chemotherapy with amphotericin B and 5‐fluorocytosine. The significance of capsular material is discussed. To our knowledge this is the first reported example of human infection caused by a nonencapsulated C neoformans .