Cryptococcosis: An emerging infectious disease of global public health importance (original) (raw)

Cryptococcus's: An emerging infectious disease of global public health importance

Cryptococcosis is an emerging deadly systemic disease caused by Cryptococcus, which is basidiomycetous, encapsulated yeast that occurs as a saprobe in nature. Only two species are known to cause disease from the genus Cryptococcus: Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The source of infection is exogenous and the respiratory tract acts as the chief portal entry of fungus. The mode of disease getting from the contaminated environment is by inhalation of infectious fungal agent. An array of clinical spectrum of disease is reported in humans. B, flucytosine, fluconazole, ketoconazole, and itraconazole have been used for the treatment of the disease. Currently, there is no formal preventative technique or vaccination for cryptococcosis. Therefore, an early diagnosis and prompt treatment should be given to the patient in order to prevent mortality, particularly in HIV-positive individuals.

Cryptococcosis, A Risk for Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Individuals

The genus Cryptococcus includes at least 37 different species, of which, two are important human pathogens: Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. These fungi are opportunistic pathogens and etiologic agents of cryptococcosis disease in humans and animals. A variety of virulence factors interfere with the establishment of cryptococcal infection is usually acquired via inhalation of environmental basidiospores or desiccated yeasts. Cryptococcosis has gained medical importance over the last decade due to the AIDS pandemic, and become an emerging pathogen of immunocompetent individuals, especially in children. This disease in humans may involve every tissue, including cutaneous and pulmonary sites, but the most serious manifestation is central nervous system involvement with meningoencephalitis. In this review, we briefly described the taxonomy, the fungus biology, epidemiology and clinical manifestations of cryptococcosis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals

Cryptococcus gattii: an emerging fungal pathogen infecting humans and animals

Microbes and Infection, 2011

Infectious fungi are among a broad group of microbial pathogens that has and continues to emerge concomitantly due to the global AIDS pandemic as well as an overall increase of patients with compromised immune systems. In addition, many pathogens have been emerging and reemerging, causing disease in both individuals who have an identifiable immune defect and those who do not. The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii can infect individuals with and without an identifiable immune defect, with a broad geographic range including both endemic areas and emerging outbreak regions. Infections in patients and animals can be severe and often fatal if untreated. We review the molecular epidemiology, population structure, clinical manifestations, and ecological niche of this emerging pathogen.

Cryptococcosis: clinical and biological aspects

Medical Mycology, 2000

The incidence of cryptococcosis rose dramatically with the advent of the acquired immune de ciency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in the early 1980s until the early 1990s. The frequency of cryptococcosis has been declining since mid 1990s in Europe and America due to the development of more effective antiretroviral therapy and prophylactic treatment regimens designed to prevent fungal infections. The disease, however, is still recognized as one of the most common life-threatening opportunistic fungal infections in immunocompromised patients, particularly among those infected with human immunode ciency virus (HIV). For this reason, research interest in clinical and biological aspects of the disease remains high. In addition to previously embarked areas of research, the cryptococcal research community has taken advantage of the current sequencing technology and initiated genome sequencing of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans. This review includes various areas of research interest ranging from pathobiology, biochemistry and immunology, to genomics.

First report of two cases of cryptococcosis in.pdf

Cryptococcosis is a potentially fatal fungal disease caused by the basidiomycetes yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii with high predilection to invade the central nervous system mainly in immunocompromised hosts. Skin can be secondarily involved in disseminated infection or be exceptionally involved as primary cutaneous infection by inoculation with contaminated materials. We report the first two Libyan cases of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV patients, in which one of them presented a secondary cutaneous involvement due to systemic dissemination. The first patient was a 17-year-old female, had fever, cough, headache and intractable vomiting as well as itchy water bumps on her skin and upper limbs. The cutaneous eruption prompted the accurate diagnosis. Cultures were positive for C. neoformans in both cerebrospinal fluid and skin specimens, as well as cryptococcal antigen was detected in serum. The isolate was identified, by molecular analysis, as C. neoformans AD-hybrid belonging to molecular type VNIII and mating type aAAa, the same genotype found for some environmental isolates recovered from olive trees in Tripoli. The second patient was a 36-years-old male with a long history of HIV on irregular treatment. Cryptococcal antigen in serum was positive and cultures yielded the growth of C. neoformans var. grubii, molecular type VNI and mating type aA. Both patients did not respond adequately to treatment and died of impaired central nervous system function and respiratory failure, respectively.

Cryptococcus gattii: A Poseur to Behold!

Cureus, 2022

Cryptococcosis is an invasive systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus, a genus of yeast. Causative organisms for human cryptococcosis include Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Disease due to C.neoformans is conventionally seen in patients with underlying immunosuppression, whereas C.gattiirelated infection is usually seen in immunocompetent people. The fact that the infection can occur among otherwise healthy individuals underscores the importance of having a necessary understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical and radiological presentations of the disease. We report a case of disseminated pulmonary and central nervous system (CNS) cryptococcosis in an apparently immunocompetent individual with unusual radiological findings necessitating probing for alternative diagnoses. We have attempted to supplement and revise the existing data on the radiological manifestations of C.gattii.