Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- constitutional symptoms
- dyspnea
- productive cough
- dullness to percussion
- diminished breath sounds
- crackles
- headache
- alteration of consciousness
- meningeal irritation
- papilledema
- skin lesions
- coma
Risk factors
- HIV infection
- immunosuppression
- comorbidities and smoking
- exposure to Cryptococcus species
- male gender
- pregnancy and postpartum period
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay
- serum cryptococcal polysaccharide antigen (sCRAG)
- CSF CRAG
- pleural fluid CRAG
- cultures
- HIV antibodies
- CXR
- lumbar puncture
- CSF microscopy
- white blood cell count (cells/microliter)
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors VIEW ALL
Respiratory Consultant
Royal Infirmary
Edinburgh
Scotland
UK
Disclosures
RLR declares that she has no competing interests.
Respiratory Physician
Royal Infirmary
Edinburgh
Scotland
UK
Disclosures
ADP declares that she has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers VIEW ALL
Consultant
Muñiz Hospital
Honorary Professor
University of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Disclosures
RN declares that he has no competing interests.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health
Duke University Medical Center
Durham
NC
Disclosures
AZ has received research funding from Enzon Pharmaceuticals and has been on the speaker's bureau for Astellas Pharma and Pfizer Inc.
Clinical Lecturer/Wellcome Trust Fellow
Centre for Infection
Division of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
St. George's University
London
UK
Disclosures
JJ declares that he has no competing interests.
Distinguished Assistant Professor
Center for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Translational Research
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis
MN
Disclosures
DRB declares that he has no competing interests.
Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer