Maltese cross on polarized microscopy is seen in:
In case of Penicillium marneffei infection, histopathologic examination of tissues and smears of blood or material from skin lesions shows oval or elliptical yeast-like organisms with central septation. Penicillium marneffei is a thermally dimorphic fungus. Infection results from the inhalation of conidia from the environment. The organism conves to the yeast phase in the lungs and then spreads hematogenously to the reticuloendothelial system. It is usually diagnosed in AIDS patients by culture of P. marneffei from blood or from biopsy samples of skin, bone marrow, or lymph node. Ref: Oxford Textbook of Medicine edited by David Alan Warrell, volume1 page 712. Kauffman C.A. (2012). Chapter 206. Superficial Mycoses and Less Common Systemic Mycoses. In D.L. Longo, A.S. Fauci, D.L. Kasper, S.L. Hauser, J.L. Jameson, J. Loscalzo (Eds), Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 18e.
Candida albicans
Cryptococcus neoformans
Penicillium marneffei
Blastomycosis dermatosis