Primary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis in an Immunocompetent 6-Year-Old Female

Abstract

A 6-year-old otherwise healthy female presented to the ED with a right eyebrow lesion for one month.  Previous I&D attempts and empiric antibiotic treatment had failed to improve the lesion.  Following dermatology referral, superficial culture resulted with growth of Cryptococcus neoformans after which completion of oral fluconazole treatment resolved the lesion.  Though Cryptococcus neoformans infections commonly plague immunocompromised patients, primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in the immunocompetent patient is a rare but documented infection with a paucity of reported pediatric cases, and frontline physicians should be aware of such a diagnosis in the setting of persistent skin lesions without response to more commonly utilized therapies.