Cryptococcosis

An opportunistic infection, caused by Cryptococcus neoformans is affecting immunocompromised individuals mainly with impaired cell mediated immunity. The disease is also known as Busse buschkes disease, European blastomycosis or torulosis. The man and animals acquire the infection by inhalation or occasionally accidental inoculation into the skin.

The infection may appear in meningeal, pulmonary, cutaneous, osseous and visceral forms depending on entry of fungus and immune status of the host. There may by fever accompanied by anorexia, headache, nausea, vomiting, cough, nuchal rigidity or arthritis.

Direct demonstration of fungi in clinical materials after treatment with KOH or isolation can also be attempted for diagnosis of disease. Mice are used for pathogenicity testing. The internal lesions can be visualized with the help of radiography. Latex agglutination test and PCR based methods are used for confirmation of antigen or organisms