Cryptococcosis
A fungal infection causing pneumonia and meningitis, often fatal.
Cryptococcosis is a potentially fatal fungal infection primarily affecting the lungs and brain, caused by the fungi Cryptococcus neoformans or less commonly Cryptococcus gattii. It is acquired by inhaling spores from the air, with sources including soil, decaying wood, pigeon droppings, and tree hollows. The disease became more prominent after the 1970s, especially with the rise of HIV/AIDS and immunosuppressant use, and remains a significant cause of meningitis worldwide.
- caused_by
- Cryptococcus neoformans or Cryptococcus gattii
- primary_sites
- Lungs and brain (meningitis)
- transmission
- Inhalation of spores from air
- at_risk_groups
- People with HIV/AIDS, on immunosuppressants, or pigeon breeders
- global_annual_cases_2009
- Approximately 958,000 cases of cryptococcal meningitis
- annual_deaths_2009
- Approximately 625,000 within three months after infection
Quick Facts
- Field
- Infectious disease
- Pronounce
- ˌ · k · r · ɪ · p · t · ə · k · ə · ˈ · k · oʊ · s · ɪ · s · ,_ · - · t · oʊ · - · ,_ · - · k · ɒ · -
- Symptoms
- Lung: Cough, difficulty breathing, chest pain and fever. / Brain: Headache, fever, neck pain, nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, confusion, change in behaviour. / Skin: Nodules with dead tissue.
- Causes
- Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gattii
- Risks
- HIV/AIDS, Aviculture
- Diagnosis
- Biopsy, culture
- Treatment
- Antifungal medication
- Medication
- Fluconazole / Amphotericin B / Flucytosine
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Cryptococcosis is caused by two main species: Cryptococcus neoformans, which generally infects immunocompromised individuals such as those with HIV/AIDS or on immunosuppressant drugs, and Cryptococcus gattii, which can infect healthy people and is found in parts of Canada and the US. The fungi are globally distributed in soil, decaying wood, pigeon droppings, and tree hollows. Once inhaled, the yeast cells colonize the lungs, where they may be cleared, lie dormant, or cause infection and spread to the brain and other organs.
Reader's Guide
Cryptococcosis is a significant opportunistic infection, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of cases and deaths occur. Data from 2009 estimated nearly one million cases of cryptococcal meningitis annually worldwide, with 700,000 in sub-Saharan Africa and 600,000 deaths per year. The disease was rare before the 1970s but escalated with the AIDS epidemic, and over 80% of cases now occur in people with HIV/AIDS. Diagnosis involves isolating the fungus from tissue or body fluids, with high sensitivity and specificity using antigen testing. Treatment includes fluconazole or amphotericin B. The infection can also present as primary cutaneous cryptococcosis, often in pigeon breeders, with lesions that may mimic other skin conditions. Pulmonary cryptococcosis can mimic lung cancer or tuberculosis, and its presence worsens the prognosis of cryptococcal meningitis. The three-month case-fatality rate varies from 9% in high-income regions to 70% in sub-Saharan Africa.
Did You Know?
- Cryptococcosis is caused by breathing in spores from the air, with sources including pigeon droppings and tree hollows.
- C. gattii can infect healthy people, while C. neoformans mainly affects those with HIV/AIDS or on immunosuppressants.
- In 2009, an estimated 625,000 people died from cryptococcal meningitis within three months of infection.
- Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis lesions can mimic molluscum contagiosum and Kaposi's sarcoma.
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