Clinicopathologic and ultrastructural study of non-HIV-related primary pulmonary cryptococcosis in China: report of 43 cases.

摘要

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the clinicopathologic and ultrastructural features of primary pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC). METHODS: 43 cases of PC were observed by light microscopy and histochemical staining, including mucicarmine (MC), Alcian blue (AB), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), and Grocott methenamine-silver (GMS). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed on 11 fresh and 8 formalin-fixed specimens. RESULTS: The detective rate of Cryptococcus neoformans (CN) by MC, AB, PAS, GMS staining, and TEM was 61.3% (19/31), 62.2% (23/37), 85.7% (30/35), 79.1% (34/43), and 89.5% (17/19), respectively. All CN detected by TEM had a capsule. Most of them possessed simple structure with undeveloped cellular organelles. CONCLUSION: Electron microscopy has a high rate of detecting CN. A combination of histochemical staining and electron microscopy can make an accurate diagnosis of PC.