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Vidal JE, Oliveira FG, Vieira M, Pereira L, Lucas Junior RM, Guedes BF, Magri MC, Boulware DR. Finger-Prick Whole Blood Cryptococcal Antigen Lateral Flow Assay for the Diagnosis of Cryptococcosis in HIV-Negative Patients: A Case Series Study in Two Tertiary Centers in São Paulo, Brazil. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1140. [PMID: 38132741 PMCID: PMC10744370 DOI: 10.3390/jof9121140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients can be an opportunistic or endemic disease. There are no published studies on the use of the finger-prick whole blood (point-of-care) cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay (CrAg LFA) for diagnosing cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients. We conducted a case series study of HIV-negative patients with cryptococcosis in two centers in São Paulo, Brazil. The objectives were to identify the sensitivity of a finger-prick whole blood CrAg LFA and to describe the main characteristics of this population. We identified 30 HIV-negative patients with cryptococcosis [19 (63%), male; median age, 47 years]. Ten (33%) patients were immunosuppressed, ten (33%) had other comorbidities, and ten (33%) were apparently immunocompetent and without comorbidities. The distribution of the sites of cryptococcosis was as follows: the central nervous system, 90% (n = 27); pulmonary, 43% (n = 13); and other extrapulmonary sites, 40% (n = 12). The sensitivity of the finger-prick whole blood CrAg LFA for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis was 97% (29/30). Among 26 participants with cryptococcal meningitis, the sensitivity of testing cerebrospinal fluid was as follows: CrAg latex agglutination, 77% (20/26); CrAg LFA, 96% (25/26); and culture, 81% (21/26). Culture speciation identified Cryptococcus gattii in 16 (62%) cases, and all had a positive finger-prick whole blood CrAg LFA. This test presented high sensitivity to the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients, including those caused by C. gattii.
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Affiliation(s)
- José E. Vidal
- Departamento de Neurologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil
- Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 49) da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Gurgel Oliveira
- Departamento de Infectologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.G.O.); (M.V.); (L.P.); (R.M.L.J.)
| | - Marcela Vieira
- Departamento de Infectologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.G.O.); (M.V.); (L.P.); (R.M.L.J.)
| | - Luisa Pereira
- Departamento de Infectologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.G.O.); (M.V.); (L.P.); (R.M.L.J.)
| | - Rodovaldo M. Lucas Junior
- Departamento de Infectologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.G.O.); (M.V.); (L.P.); (R.M.L.J.)
| | - Bruno Fukelman Guedes
- Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil;
| | - Marcello Chaves Magri
- Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil;
| | - David R. Boulware
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
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Kouamou V, Makadzange AT. Simplified regimens for AIDS-related cryptococcal meningitis - improving its access in Africa. AIDS 2023; 37:2253-2257. [PMID: 37877282 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vinie Kouamou
- Charles River Medical Group
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
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Oliveira FG, Nakagawa JADS, de Oliveira JMM, Júnior RML, Marcusso R, Vidal JE. High prevalence of central nervous system cryptococcosis using a fingerprick whole-blood lateral flow assay in individuals with neurological symptoms and advanced HIV disease in a Brazilian emergency department. Med Mycol 2023; 61:myad093. [PMID: 37656871 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myad093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Timely diagnosis is key in managing central nervous system (CNS) cryptococcosis in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). There are few data on implementing fingerprick whole-blood cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) lateral flow assay (LFA) as the first test for diagnosing CNS cryptococcosis. We evaluated the prevalence of CNS cryptococcosis and cryptococcal antigenemia using fingerprick whole-blood in a referral emergency department (ED) in São Paulo, Brazil. This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive adult PLWHA with advanced HIV disease and neurological symptoms. Fingerprick whole-blood CrAg LFA was performed at bedside. Seventy-four individuals were enrolled (median age = 40 years; males = 62%). Prevalence of CNS cryptococcosis was 17.6% (13/74); 95% confidence interval (CI), 9.4-30.0%, and prevalence of positive fingerprick whole-blood CrAg LFA was 25.7% (19/74); 95% CI, 15.5-40.1%. Among the six (8.1%) patients with positive fingerprick whole-blood CrAg LFA and negative CSF CrAg LFA, four (5.4%) had isolated asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia, one (1.3%) had symptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia, and one (1.3%) had cryptococcemia. Prevalence of CNS cryptococcosis and cryptococcal antigenemia using fingerprick whole-blood CrAg LFA was high. Point-of-care testing was important for diagnosing CNS cryptococcosis in an ED from a middle-income country.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rosa Marcusso
- Departamento de Neurologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José E Vidal
- Departamento de Neurologia, Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 49) da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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