Criptococosis meníngea de 1990 a 1995: hallazgos de laboratorio

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans, the causative organism of cryptococcosis, has been diagnosed, had its isolates confirmed and its varieties and serotypes determined by the National Health Institute's Microbiology Laboratory during the past 15 years. From 1990 to 1995, 1,761 cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) samples and 1,068 sera have been received for study; additionally, 66 isolates have been received for confirmation. Two hundred and fotty cases of cryptococcosis have been determined from these samples over a six year period. Patients have been classified into three groups according to HIV serological test results, 151 (62.9%) were HIV positive, 43 (17.9%) HIV negative and in 46 cases (19.2%) the data could not be obtained. The oercentaae of HIV oositive oatients with ciyptoco~cosisin creased from the 26.7% obsehed in 1& O to 80.4% in 1995. The entity was presented with greater frequency in men (80.4%) than in women (19.6%) and in the 21 to 40 age group (55%), this being most in evidence in the HIV positive group (67.5%). Sera sensitivity and negative predictive values (NPV) from direct examination and latex agglutination in CSF presented higher values in HIV positive patients. The great increase in cryptococcosis cases is a reflection of the increase of AlDS cases in Colombia, an epidemic which has clearly shown this mycosis oppottunist character.