Fungal prostatitis due to endemic mycoses and Cryptococcus: A multicenter case series

Background: Fungal prostatitis is exceedingly rare with mostly case reports.

Methods: Electronic medical records at three medical centers were searched for cases of fungal prostatitis due to endemic mycoses and Cryptococcus over the preceding 10 years.

Results: Seven cases were identified from 105 600 prostate biopsies within the Southern California Permanente Medical Group for an incidence of 0.0066%. An additional eight cases were identified from two other health care systems. Excluding four patients without available clinical data, 11 patients were reviewed, most of whom underwent biopsy due to elevated prostate-specific antigen. Four were asymptomatic and the remainder had nonspecific signs or symptoms. All biopsies revealed granulomatous inflammation and fungal organisms. Seven patients had coccidioidomycosis, three patients had cryptococcosis (confirmed in two cases and suspected by organism morphology in the other), and one patient had likely histoplasmosis based on organism morphology. Prolonged antifungal treatment was standard; outcomes were favorable.

Conclusion: Fungal prostatitis due to endemic mycoses and Cryptococcus is uncommon and associated with favorable outcomes but generally involves prolonged therapy.

Keywords: coccidioidomycosis; fungal prostatitis; fungi; mycoses; prostate cryptococcosis; prostate histoplasmosis; prostate infections.