MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Cryptococcus, cutaneous on the hand

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Cryptococcus, cutaneous on the hand

These are Cryptococcus skin lesions. Cryptococcus is a yeast (type of fungus) that seldom causes infection, but is considered opportunistic (it affects people with weakened immune systems). Cryptococcus is one of the more common life-threatening fungal infections in AIDS patients.

Update Date: 10/9/2006

Updated by: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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