on the instrument, its date, its inventor Lee or the manufacturing or supplying firm ofAL Hawkins Ltd, London. Another machine "The Sedigraph" made by a Swiss firm after the Second World War acted in a similar fashion with rather more sophistication. One of these instruments is also in the collection. The collection of old instruments nlow numbers about 1000 items which, it is hoped, will form ...

BACKGROUND Retrospective data suggest that cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening in patients with late-stage human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) may reduce cryptococcal disease and deaths. Prospective data are limited. METHODS CrAg was measured using lateral flow assays (LFA) and latex agglutination (LA) tests in 645 HIV-positive, ART-naive patients with...

Cryptococcosis has been one of the most common opportunistic infections and causes of mortality among HIV-infected patients, especially in resource-limited countries. Cryptococcal meningitis is the most common form of cryptococcosis. Laboratory diagnosis of cryptococcosis includes direct microscopic examination, isolation of Cryptococcus from a clinical specimen, and detection of cryptococcal a...

with AIDS and a CD4 count of 6 cells/mm3, non-compliant with antiretroviral therapy, presented with severe headaches, vomiting, fevers, and a productive cough. Physical examination revealed tachycardia, a temperature of 39.4°C, clear lungs, and an absence of meningeal signs. Laboratory studies showed a white blood cell count of 4.8 and hemoglobin of 10.1 g/dL. A lumbar puncture was consistent w...

with AIDS and a CD4 count of 6 cells/mm3, non-compliant with antiretroviral therapy, presented with severe headaches, vomiting, fevers, and a productive cough. Physical examination revealed tachycardia, a temperature of 39.4°C, clear lungs, and an absence of meningeal signs. Laboratory studies showed a white blood cell count of 4.8 and hemoglobin of 10.1 g/dL. A lumbar puncture was consistent w...

To the Editor—Between 8% and 26% of patients enrolling in antiretroviral treatment (ART) services in sub-Saharan Africa die within the first year of therapy, and a majority of these deaths occur within the first few months [1]. Mortality risk is particularly high among those with the lowest baseline CD4 cell counts, and tuberculosis and cryptococcal meningitis are leading causes [1]. Packages o...

BACKGROUND Cryptococcal infection is a common opportunistic infection among severely immunosuppressed HIV patients and is associated with high mortality. Positive cryptococcal antigenemia is an independent predictor of cryptococcal meningitis and death in patients with severe immunosuppression. We evaluated the prevalence and factors associated with cryptococcal antigenemia among patients with ...