Isolation And Clinical Characteristics Of Cryptococcus Isolates From Hiv Positive Patients

Abstract

Cryptococcal meningitis is a dangerous fungal infection in both of HIV and non-HIV patients. Accordingly, from the
recent taxonomy the fungus is divided into two types of species namely Cryptococcusneoformans and C. gattii). The
infection of HIV is accepted globally as a major disease that for the evolution of Cryptococcal meningitis for cases of
80-90% and it is an abandon disease. Totally 150 HIV patients with meningitis were selected in this study. From them,
13 have Cryptococcal meningitis of which 10 were found to have primary episode and 3 have relapse episode. The
ubiquity of Cryptococcal meningitis was noted as 10.58% and most of the patients were males with ratio of 81.25%
and female in the ratio of 5.3:1. In this study the mostly affected persons were in the age of 41-50. The chief symptom
found was headache in 89.47% next vomiting in 63.16% and fever in 42.11% patients. It has increased protein levels
in 73.68% and also cell counts in 78.94%. Lymphocyte was the principal cell type and absence of CSF cells in two
patients. Between these patients, the primary episode of CM, preparation of Indian ink was noted as positive 10
cases, positive LAT was found in 1 case and culture in two patients. In relapse patients Indian ink preparation was
positive in 66.67%), LAT in 100% and culture in 33.33% respectively.