[Pulmonary cryptococcosis].

Cryptococcosis is a deep mycosis that develops in immunosuppressed individuals. Isolated pulmonary cryptococcosis is a rare disease. The authors describe an autopsy case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in a 69-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus suppressing the immune system. Pulmonary inflammatory changes were characterized by disseminated destructive changes, a weak exudative reaction and the formation of epithelioid cell granulomas with the presence of Pirogov-Langerhans giant multinucleate cells. Round fungal cells weakly stained with hematoxylin and eosin can be mistakenly taken as artifacts. The diagnosis of chronic pulmonary cryptococcosis was established only after histological study using the selective staining.