A Case of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary cryptococcosis is a non-infectious opportunistic or silent infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. It enters the body through the respiratory tract and spreads to lung, skin, liver, and lymphoid organs. Recently its incidence has been gradually increasing because of developing diagnostic tools, increased use of steroids and immunosuppressive drugs, increased survival rate of patients with chronic diseases, and increased incidence of immunodeficiency syndrome. We report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who was being treated with low dose glucocorticoid, methotrexate and cyclosporine for 14 months.