Antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients has prolonged survival and reduced the frequency of opportunistic infections (OI). However, following starting of antiretroviral therapy (ART), some patients experience a paradoxical worsening of clinical condition termed as immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) an entity, characterized by an excessive inflammato...

BACKGROUND Cryptococcal disease is estimated to be responsible for significant mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa; however, only scarce epidemiology data exists. We sought to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for cryptococcal antigenemia in Ethiopia. METHODS Consecutive adult HIV-infected patients from two public HIV clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia were enrolled into the study. A CD4 ...

Three commercial latex kits, IBL, MYCO-Immune, and IMMY, for the detection of cryptococcal antigen were compared in regard to sensitivity, specificity, and height of antigen titers. A total of 218 cerebrospinal fluid and 79 serum specimens from 239 patients were included. Twenty-two patients had culture-proven disseminated cryptococcosis. Both the IBL and MYCO-Immune kits had sensitivities of 1...

Neurological dysfunction as the first manifestation of AIDS has been found in 10 to 20% of symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infections. However, stroke has rarely been reported in AIDS patients. The most common causes of cerebral infarction in AIDS are central nervous system infections: toxoplasmosis, cryptococcal meningitis and tuberculosis. Potential vascular mechanisms for cerebral i...

Introduction: Cryptococcal meningitis is a type of meningitis. It has conventionally associated with HIV infection. However, few cases are also described in patients with other forms of immunosuppression and in apparently immunocompetent individuals as well. Objectives: We reviewed 15 cases hospitalized and diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal in the last two yea...

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a common central nervous system infection in HIV-infected patients. This study aimed to determine treatment outcomes among HIV-infected patients who had cryptococcal meningitis and to determine predictors of death. We conducted a retrospective cohort study among HIV-infected patients receiving care at Chiang Mai University Hospital from January 1, 2005 to Decembe...

Development of a vaccine to protect against cryptococcosis is a priority given the enormous global burden of disease in at-risk individuals. Using glucan particles (GPs) as a delivery system, we previously demonstrated that mice vaccinated with crude Cryptococcus-derived alkaline extracts were protected against lethal challenge with Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii The goal of th...

BACKGROUND Data regarding HIV-seronegative pediatric patients with cryptococcal meningitis (CM) have been very limited. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed non-HIV-infected in patients with CM from January 2002 through December 2013 in Beijing Children's Hospital. Records of the all patients were obtained and compared. RESULTS The 34 children had a median age of 5.6 years. Most of the patie...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of AIDS-related complicated cryptococcal meningitis. The outcome was complicated cryptococcal meningitis: prolonged (>/= 14 days) altered mental status, persistent (>/= 14 days) focal neurologic findings, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement or death. Predictor variable operating characteristics were estimated using rece...

Cryptococcal pneumonia usually occurs in immunocompromised patients with malignancy, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, organ transplantations, immunosuppressive chemotherapies, catheter insertion, or dialysis. It can be diagnosed by gaining tissues in lung parenchyma or detecting antigen in blood or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Here we report an immunocompetent 32-year-old male patient with...