Should HIV-Infected Patients in the U.S. Routinely Be Screened for Cryptococcal Infection?

Among patients with advanced HIV infection, the prevalence of cryptococcal infection, as determined by a positive serum cryptococcal antigen assay, was 2.9%.

Cryptococcal meningitis is a common AIDS-associated opportunistic infection worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, the median incidence is 3.2% among HIV-infected individuals; in 2011, the WHO recommended that patients there with HIV infection and CD4 counts <100 cells/mm³ be routinely screened for cryptococcal infection.

In the U.S., cryptococcal meningitis is much less common but still a problem; routine screening is not recommended in the most-recent version of the Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Opportunisitic Infections in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents. Now, researchers have examined the prevalence and outcomes of cryptococcal infection among AIDS patients in the U.S.

Using the cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) lateral flow assay, …

Reviewing Author

Carlos del Rio, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes; Vaccines

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesInternational Antiviral Society–USA (Board of Directors); Infectious Diseases Society of America (Past President)