Preventing Cryptococcosis-Shifting the Paradigm in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.
Meya, David;
Rajasingham, Radha;
Nalintya, Elizabeth;
Tenforde, Mark;
Jarvis, Joseph N;
(2015)
Preventing Cryptococcosis-Shifting the Paradigm in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.
Current tropical medicine reports, 2 (2).
pp. 81-89.
ISSN 2196-3045
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40475-015-0045-z
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Cryptococcosis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected patients, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where it causes up to 20 % of AIDS-related deaths in HIV programs. A new, highly sensitive, and affordable point of care diagnostic test for cryptococcal infection, the lateral flow assay, can detect early sub-clinical cryptococcosis especially in areas with limited laboratory infrastructure. With a prevalence of detectable sub-clinical cryptococcal infection averaging 7.2 % (95 % CI 6.8-7.6 %) among 36 cohorts with CD4 <100 cells/μL in Africa, together with data showing that preemptive fluconazole prevents overt cryptococcal disease in this population, implementing a screen and treat strategy as part of HIV care practice among patients with CD4 <100 cells/μL could prevent the incidence of often fatal cryptococcal meningitis in the setting of the HIV pandemic.
