Clinical features analysis of cryptococcus neoformans infection in children / 中国小儿急救医学

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment strategies of cryptococcus neoformans infection in children, and to explore the application value of PCR and high-throughput gene analysis in the diagnosis and treatment of cryptococcus neoformans infection.Methods:The clinical data of children with cryptococcus neoformans infection were retrospectively analyzed, who were hospitalized in Shanghai Children′s Medical Center from July 1998 to December 2018, including epidemiological characteristics (age, gender, underlying disease, and contact history, etc.), clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, imaging studies, pathogen detection methods, and treatment and prognosis.Results:A total of ten children were enrolled in the survey, including five males and five females, and the median age was 6.28(4.08, 12.02) years; four cases had a history of poultry/soil/corrosion exposure; seven cases were diagnosed as cryptococcus neoformans meningitis, three cases were diagnosed as disseminated cryptococcal disease; five cases had underlying disease, including two cases of which were found to have primary immunodeficiency through high-throughput genetic analysis; headache with fever was the most common clinical symptom of cryptococcus neoformans meningitis.All three cases of disseminated cryptococcosis had primary or secondary immunodeficiency.All children were treated with 5-fluorocytosine + amphotericin B/amphotericin B liposome in induction therapy, and fluconazole in consolidation therapy.Notably, two cases showed hypokalemia during induction therapy, and one case showed mild renal dysfunction during consolidation treatment; five cases were cured, three cases were abandoned, one case was relapsed, and one case died.Conclusion:Children with cryptococcosis neoformans infection who are considered to have normal immune function may have primary immunodeficiency caused by gene mutation.PCR can improve the detection rate of cryptococcus neoformans and shorten the detection time.A significant increase in eosinophils may indicate the spread of infection.Hydration and regular potassium supplementation may reduce the toxicity of amphotericin B. Control of intracranial hypertension is the key to improve the success rate of treatment.