Cutaneous cryptococcosis as a rare manifestation of the immune reconstitution syndrome in an HIV-1-infected patient.

Immune reconstitution syndromes (IRS) in HIV-1-infected patients are associated with an exaggerated infl ammatory response against an opportunistic infection during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The most commonly described cases of this phenomenon concern mycobacterial (Mycobacterium avium and M. tuberculosis) infections, pneumocystodosis, cryptoccoccal meningitis, and CMV infections. Cutaneous cryptococcosis as IRS is less commonly observed. The case of a 45-year-old HIV-1-positive male is reported who developed subcutaneous abscesses due to Cryptococcus neoformans infection after four weeks of effective HAART following profound immune defi ciency.