How do you detect Cryptococcus?
Current diagnostic tests for cryptococcosis include antigen tests and culture. Culture is the gold standard but is too insensitive [7]. Antigen tests are more commonly used to detect cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) by either latex agglutination (LA) or enzyme immunoassay (EA).
Is Cryptococcus infectious?
An infection with the fungus Cryptococcus is known as cryptococcosis, and it is a serious opportunistic infection among people with advanced HIV/AIDS. Cryptococcosis is not contagious, meaning it cannot spread from person-to-person.
What are the symptoms of cryptococcal meningitis?
The symptoms of cryptococcal meningitis include:
- Headache.
- Fever.
- Neck pain.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Sensitivity to light.
- Confusion or changes in behavior.
How do I know if I have cryptococcal meningitis?
The most common signs and symptoms of cryptococcal meningitis are headache, fever, mental status changes, blurry vision, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting, seizures, and papilledema (swelling of the optic nerve).
How is Cryptococcus transmitted?
Cryptococcus is an invasive fungus, transmitted through the inhalation of spores and causes cryptococcosis, an infection commonly associated with immunosuppressive individuals.
How is cryptococcosis transmitted?
Cryptococcus is an invasive fungus, transmitted through the inhalation of spores and causes cryptococcosis, an infection commonly associated with immunosuppressive individuals. Patients present with fever, headache, malaise, photophobia and neck stiffness as cryptococcal meningitis sets in.
What is the scientific name for Cryptococcus?
For the genus of scale insects, see Cryptococcus (insect). Do not confuse Cryptococcus (fungi) with Cryptosporidium (protists). Vuill. Cryptococcus, sometimes informally called crypto, is a genus of fungi that grow in culture as yeasts.
What are the sexual forms of Cryptococcus?
The sexual forms or teleomorphs of Cryptococcus species are filamentous fungi in the genus Filobasidiella. The name Cryptococcus is used when referring to the yeast states of the fungi; it comes from the Greek for “hidden sphere” (literally “hidden berry”). A few species in the Cryptococcus genus cause a disease called cryptococcosis.
How do you identify Cryptococcus on agar?
Cryptococcus spp readily grow on routine agar media and can be identified by morphology and biochemical tests. India ink is commonly used to identify Cryptococcus spp; this test is used directly on clinical specimens and will highlight the thick polysaccharide capsule of the yeast (Figure 3).
Why are there so many subspecies of Cryptococcus?
Cryptococcus spp. has a huge diversity in subspecies level each with different molecular types based on their genetic differences, mainly due to different geographical distributions, molecular characteristics and ecological niches.