A soft tissue lesion on the scalp as a peculiar source of disseminated cryptococcosi.

Cryptococcosis is a potentially fatal invasive fungal infection with considerable health challenges. A seemingly immunocompetent middle-aged man with frequent exposure to pigeons and bird excreta presented with headaches, fever, gait instability and diplopia. Two years prior to his presentation, he sustained a blunt head trauma which resulted in sporadic headaches. On examination, a hard scalp nodule measuring approximately 3 x 3 cm was palpable on the topmost part of his head. Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured from his cerebrospinal fluid, blood and the biopsied scalp nodule. A diagnosis of disseminated cryptococcosis was made, with the scalp lesion being designated as the primary source of the infection. Following a protracted course of antifungal therapy lasting 10 weeks, the patient was asymptomatic without any neurological deficits when reviewed in the clinic at two months post discharge.