title: Cryptococcemia due to Cryptococcus albidus.
abstract: 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.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gluck
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pass
mesh_terms: 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*