Cryptococcosis- Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Home Remedies

What is Cryptococcosis ?

Cryptococcosis is also known as Filobasidiella, European blastomycosis, torulosis. Cryptococcosis is produced by the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. It is seen in immunocompromised patients and fatal. Various types of Cryptococcosis are cutaneous c., pulmonary c., and cryptococcal meningitis. Initial pulmonary infection is usually asymptomatic. It is mainly seen in men than in women. Cryptococcus is one of the most common life-threatening fungal infections in AIDS patients. Cryptococcosis is a defining opportunistic infection for AIDS. The disease does not spread from one person to another. In United States, 6-10% of all patients with AIDS get cryptococcosis.

Causes of Cryptococcosis

• Fungus Cryptococcus neoformans
• Cryptococcal disease
• Central nervous system leads to permanent damage
• Wound or cutaneous cryptococcosis
• Inhaling the fungus

What are the symptoms of Cryptococcosis?

• Lungs or disseminate througout the body.
• Cough, headaches
• Focal neurological defects, skin rashes
• Tenderness or bone pain of the breastbone
• Bruises
• Nerve pain

Cryptococcosis Treatment

• Antifungal therapy with either amphotericin B or fluconazole is the best treatment option for CNS infection.
• Antiretroviral treatment (ART).
• Flucytosine - It is always given in combination with amphotericin B. For severe pulmonary disease 6 to 8 weeks.
• For AIDS patients fluconazole give as a priliminary test to reduce response to Amphotericin B and flucytosine which must continue for life-long treatment to prevent relapses.
• Fluconazole is highly effective in preventing cryptococcal infection in AIDS patients for life long at 200-400mg/d and for non AIDS patients treated as a giving Amphotericin B combined with flucytosine.
• Bony lesions and CNS lesions greater than 3cm may be managed by surgical excision.