Research Topic: Cryptococcal infection

Mediastinal cryptococcoma as part of disseminated cryptococcosis in HIV-negative pregnant woman with Myasthenia Gravis: Autopsy case report

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A 29-year-old pregnant woman with myasthenia gravis, a condition requiring long-term immune-suppressing medications, died from a widespread fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus. Despite being HIV-negative, her weakened immune system made her vulnerable to this serious infection. An autopsy revealed the infection had spread throughout her body, including her heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys. This case highlights how fungal infections like cryptococcosis can affect people without HIV when their immune systems are compromised by other conditions or medications.

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An Optimized In-House Protocol for Cryptococcus neoformans DNA Extraction from Whole Blood: Comparison of Lysis Buffer and Ox-Bile Methods

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Researchers developed a simple, low-cost method to extract DNA from Cryptococcus neoformans fungal cells found in blood samples. The new method uses a homemade salt buffer solution instead of expensive commercial kits, making it accessible to laboratories in developing countries. Testing showed this method works better than an alternative ox-bile method, detecting very small numbers of fungal cells. This breakthrough could help doctors more quickly diagnose a serious fungal infection called cryptococcal meningitis in resource-limited settings.

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Emerging Infections Network Survey of Screening for Cryptococcal Antigenemia, United States, 2024

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Researchers surveyed infectious disease doctors across the United States about their use of a simple blood test that detects cryptococcal fungal infections in HIV patients before symptoms appear. The test, called cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening, can prevent serious illness and death if caught early, but the survey found that many doctors are not using it consistently. About 42% of doctors were unsure about the benefits of the test, and another 32% were confused about current screening recommendations, revealing a need for better education about this important preventive tool.

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Mediastinal cryptococcoma as part of disseminated cryptococcosis in HIV-negative pregnant woman with Myasthenia Gravis: Autopsy case report

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A 29-year-old pregnant woman with myasthenia gravis died from a widespread fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus, which formed a large mass in her chest. Although she tested negative for HIV, her use of immunosuppressive medications to treat her muscle disease, combined with pregnancy’s natural effects on immune function, made her vulnerable to this serious fungal infection. The infection was initially misdiagnosed as tuberculosis, and the diagnosis was only confirmed after her death during autopsy, highlighting the importance of testing for fungal infections even in patients without HIV.

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Low Antigen Titre Disseminated Cryptococcosis in Immunocompromised Hosts: Two Challenging Case Reports

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Two patients with weakened immune systems developed serious fungal blood infections from Cryptococcus despite having unusually low levels of fungal markers in their blood. One was a kidney transplant patient and the other had HIV. Neither showed signs of brain infection, which is unusual for this disease. Both were successfully treated with aggressive antifungal medications once blood cultures confirmed the disseminated infection.

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Disseminated cryptococcosis in an HIV patient with hepatitis C as the associated risk factor

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A 29-year-old patient with HIV and hepatitis C developed a serious fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans that spread to the brain. The infection was diagnosed through blood and spinal fluid tests and treated successfully with antifungal medications. This case shows why it is important to recognize and treat fungal infections quickly in people with weakened immune systems and multiple health conditions.

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Cryptococcus albidus (Naganishia albida) meningitis in a young patient with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

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A 16-year-old boy with blood cancer (T-ALL) developed a brain infection caused by a rare fungus called Cryptococcus albidus. Doctors initially thought he had a viral infection caused by herpes, but tests on his spinal fluid revealed the true fungal culprit. He was treated with antifungal medications that led to his recovery, emphasizing the importance of thorough testing when immunocompromised patients develop serious infections.

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