Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcosis is an infectious disease caused by the encapsulated fungi Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Cryptococcal infection can develop in apparently immunocompetent hosts and these fungi have emerged as important opportunistic pathogens in humans over the past several decades as immunocompromised populations expand in the setting of HIV/AIDS, organ transplantation, and treatment of malignant and other conditions. Clinical manifestations are myriad, but pulmonary and central nervous system (CNS) infections are the most common. Improvements in diagnostic testing and standardized approaches to antifungal therapy, when available, have had considerable impact in the management of this infection. While the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the outcome of cryptococcosis in many HIV-infected patients, cryptococcosis remains an entity of considerable morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world, and restoration of host immunity can present management challenges that require individualized management. As immunocompromised populations continue to expand, cryptococcosis will remain an important opportunistic fungal infection among humans requiring ongoing investigation and better management.
