title: Cryptococcuria as manifestation of disseminated cryptococcosis: Staib agar as a selective identification medium.
abstract: We conducted a retrospective study of 58 cases of cryptococcosis (1986-2008) with urine test positive for Cryptococcus sp, in Mycology Laboratory, Santa Casa-Hospital Complex, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The diagnosis of cryptococcuria was based on microscopic examination and culture of urinary sediment. Cryptococcus was isolated from other clinical specimens such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, ascitic and pleural fluids, respiratory secretions, biopsies of skin, nasal and bone marrow. Cryptocccus neoformans was present in 55 cases and Cryptocccus gattii in three cases. Males predominated (79.3%); age ranged from 12 to 86 years. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were present in 60.3%, 31.1% did not have AIDS and 5.2% were apparently immunocompetent patients. The most frequent signs and symptoms were headache (53.4%) and fever (51.7%). The most widely used medication was the amphotericin B (43 patients). The mortality rate was 45%. We conclude that the mycological examination of the urine can be an alternative simple, non-invasive and useful in diagnosis of disseminated cryptococcosis, especially when used in conjunction with techniques for demonstration of the capsule (nigrosine) and/or production of melanin in special culture media (Staib agar).
authors.affiliation: Post Graduation Program in Pneumology Sciences-Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre (POA), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. cecilia.bs@santacasa.tche.br
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Severo
authors.forename: G L F
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sotilli
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gazzoni
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Severo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000362:Agar; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D000666:Amphotericin B; D000362:Agar