Cryptococcemia due to Cryptococcus albidus.
We have described a patient with cryptococcemia due to Cryptococcus albidus. Although usually nonpathogenic, C albidus and other non-neoformans cryptococcal species may occasionally be the causative agents in severe infections in man. The latex agglutination test for cryptococcal polysaccharide capsular antigen appears to be specific for C neoformans and thus may be falsely negative in serious infections caused by non-neoformans cryptococci, as seen in our patient with C albidus fungemia. Severe infections caused by C albidus appear to respond to treatment with amphotericin B with or without 5-fluorocytosine but so few cases are available for analysis that no firm conclusions can be made in this regard at present.
Gluck
J L
JL
Myers
J P
JP
Pass
L M
LM
D000368:Aged; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*