A 35-year-old man who had a kidney transplant a year ago arrives to the emergency room complaining of pleuritic chest discomfort and a cough. He has a low-grade fever, which is discovered. An infiltration in the lower lobe of the right lung is shown by a chest x-ray. Vancomycin, ceftriaxone, and azithromycin are given to the patient as broad-spectrum antibiotics. Despite these precautions, his condition deteriorates over the following few days. Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage are carried out. On light microscopy, mucicarmine staining of his bronchoalveolar fluid reveals the following: Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's condition?

Question

A 35-year-old man who had a kidney transplant a year ago arrives to the emergency room complaining of pleuritic chest discomfort and a cough. He has a low-grade fever, which is discovered. An infiltration in the lower lobe of the right lung is shown by a chest x-ray. Vancomycin, ceftriaxone, and azithromycin are given to the patient as broad-spectrum antibiotics. Despite these precautions, his condition deteriorates over the following few days. Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage are carried out. On light microscopy, mucicarmine staining of his bronchoalveolar fluid reveals the following:  Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's condition?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: The only pathogenic fungus with a polysaccharide capsule is Cryptococcus neoformans. The capsule looks red when stained with mucicarmine and transparent when stained with India ink.

A 35-Year-Old Man Who Had a Kidney Transplant a Year