title: Chapter 3--pulmonary cryptococcosis.
abstract: Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycosis caused by two species of the encapsulated basidiomycetes, Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii, which, respectively, cause infection in immunocompromised individuals and in immunologically normal hosts. Patients with T-cell deficiencies are more susceptible to this infection. The spectrum of the disease ranges from asymptomatic pulmonary lesions to disseminated infection with meningoencephalitis. The medical relevance of cryptococcosis increased dramatically as a consequence of the AIDS epidemic and organ transplants.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cecília Bittencourt
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Severo
authors.forename: Alexandra Flávia
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gazzoni
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Severo
mesh_terms: D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology