All cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) testing performed at our institution between 1989 and 1994 was reviewed for utility of routinely testing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) for this antigen. Forty-two of 1,506 BAL specimens were positive. Seventeen of these were felt to represent false positives (sensitivity, 71%; positive predictive value, 0.59). The data on CrAg in cerebrospinal fluid and s...

A new enzyme immunoassay (EIA), PREMIER Cryptococcal Antigen, was compared with latex agglutination (LA) for the detection and quantitation of circulating capsular polysaccharide antigen from Cryptococcus neoformans. The clinical evaluation of PREMIER EIA as a screening assay, including 475 specimens with 120 LA and EIA positives, resulted in 99% sensitivity and 97% specificity. The clinical sp...

OBJECTIVE In HIV-infected adults in sub-Saharan Africa, asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia at the time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with more than 20% increased mortality. Provisional recommendations for treatment of asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia are neither well substantiated nor feasible in many resource-poor settings. After hospitals in Tanzania impleme...

BACKGROUND The central nervous system is considered a sanctuary site for HIV-1 replication. Variables associated with HIV cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viral load in the context of opportunistic CNS infections are poorly understood. Our objective was to evaluate the relation between: (1) CSF HIV-1 viral load and CSF cytological and biochemical characteristics (leukocyte count, protein concentration...

Background: Cryptococcal infection usually occurs in HIV-infected patients with low CD4 count. The clinical manifestations typically involve central nervous and pulmonary systems. We reported a case of a 49-year-old HIV-infected man with infected ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt due to Cryptococcus neoformans. Methods: A retrospective review of medical record of the patient, who was hospitalized...

Conflicting results have been reported regarding the ability of C57BL/6 mice to clear infections due to Cryptococcus neoformans. Examination of the various experimental protocols used suggested that C57BL/6 mice might develop the ability to resist infection as they mature. We analyzed the ability of C57BL/6 mice of different ages to respond to immunization with cryptococcal antigen or to clear ...

The detection of cryptococcal antigen by latex agglutination tests (LATs), enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA), or lateral flow assay (LFA) is an important tool for diagnosis of a Cryptococcus infection. Cerebrospinal fluid and/or serum samples of 10 patients with cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus gattii or a hybrid of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii were examined by three LATs (the IMMY ...