Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic fungal infection in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients. According to the most recent taxonomy, the responsible fungus is classified into a complex that contains two species (Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii), with eight major molecular types. HIV infection is recognized worldwide as the main underlying disease responsib...

INTRODUCTION Isolated cryptococcal pneumonia in the immunocompetent host is a rare infection. Indications for treatment and its duration are currently not defined. CLINICAL PICTURE Three patients presented with cavitating cryptococcal pneumonia. TREATMENT They were treated with oral fluconazole. OUTCOME Improvement was evident clinically, radiologically and serologically. Fluconazole was ...

Co-infection with cryptococcus and tuberculosis has rarely been reported. We herein report a case of an 80-year-old man with cryptococcal pleuritis concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis. He was admitted for progression of left pleural effusion and consolidation in the left upper lobe. Culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was positive in sputum, and analyses of pleural effusion revealed lymph...

We studied the effects of cyclosporine on experimental cryptococcal meningitis. Like cortisone, cyclosporine depressed the highly effective defense mechanisms of normal rabbits against inoculated Cryptococcus neoformans, causing them to develop progressive, fatal cryptococcal meningitis. Unlike cortisone, which causes a striking reduction in leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid, cyclosporine depre...

Cryptococcal meningitis causes morbidity and mortality worldwide. The burden of disease is greatest in middle- and low-income countries with a high incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Patients taking immunosuppressive drugs and some immunocompetent hosts are also at risk. Treatment of cryptococcal meningitis consists of three phases: induction, consolidation, and maintena...

Cryptococcal peritonitis is an under-recognized disease that is an important cause of mortality in end-stage liver disease. We report a 43-year old male with decompensated cirrhosis secondary to refractory autoimmune hepatitis on immunosuppression with hepatocellular carcinoma who developed cryptococcal peritonitis. The patient subsequently developed ischemic bowel and multisystem organ failure...

Cryptococcal meningitis is caused by the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. Two varieties are recognized: var. gattii and var. neoformans. It is usually associated with immunosuppressive states, particularly HIV infection. Cryptococcal infection of the central nervous system is uncommon in immunocompetent children and difficult to diagnose. Ocular complications are common. Optic disc swelling was f...

A case of cryptococcal prostatic abscess in a 65-year-old Chinese man with immunosuppression from treatment of myasthenia gravis is presented. The patient was diagnosed to have cryptococcaemia when he presented with fever and urinary symptoms. Further investigations confirmed cryptococcal meningitis and imaging studies showed a hypodense lesion in the prostate. This proved to be an abscess and ...

Spontaneous cryptococcal peritonitis is an uncommon infection that predominantly encountered in immunocompromised. Its clinical presentation is indistinguishable from spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and often results in fatal outcome. Liver disease is an under recognized predisposition for cryptococcal disease. We report a case of spontaneous cryptococcal peritonitis in HIV-negative, non-diab...