title: Low yield of screening for cryptococcal antigen by latex agglutination assay on serum and cerebrospinal fluid from Danish patients with AIDS or ARC.
abstract: From July 1, 1989 to September 5, 1990, 530 serum specimens and 50 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from 334 HIV-1 infected patients, most of whom had AIDS or ARC, were analysed in a cryptococcal antigen latex agglutination assay, and all were negative. Three cases of meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans diagnosed by microscopy and culture in 3 HIV-1 infected patients are presented. Stored specimens of serum and CSF from these patients were assayed for cryptococcal antigen, and in all 3 the onset of meningitis was preceded by the presence of cryptococcal antigen in serum. It is concluded that the low occurrence of cryptococcosis in our patient population does not justify a routine serum screening for cryptococcal antigen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stenderup
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000150:complications*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000946:Antigens, Fungal