Patient education: Cryptococcosis (The Basics)

What is cryptococcosis? — 

This is an infection caused by a fungus. It can affect the lungs or brain, and sometimes other parts of the body.

There are a few different types of the fungus that causes cryptococcosis. They live in certain trees, soil, and bird droppings in different parts of the world. A person can get infected if they breathe in tiny particles of the fungus.

People with a weak immune system are more likely to get cryptococcosis. The immune system is the body's infection-fighting system. It is weaker than normal in people who:

●Have AIDS

●Take certain medicines that affect the immune system

●Had an organ transplant

●Had cancer or certain lung or liver diseases

People with a healthy immune system can also get cryptococcosis. But this is not common.

What are the symptoms of cryptococcosis? — 

Symptoms depend on where the infection is.

If the infection is in the lungs, the symptoms can be similar to pneumonia. Symptoms can include:

●Cough

●Trouble breathing

●Chest pain

●Fever

●Chills

●Losing weight without trying

If the infection is in the brain or spinal cord, symptoms can include:

●Headache

●Lack of energy

●Fever

●Stiff neck

●Vomiting

●Sensitivity to light

Sometimes, cryptococcosis can cause growths called "cryptococcomas" to form in the lung or brain.

If the infection spreads from 1 part of the body to other parts, this can cause different symptoms. For example, if the infection is in the eyes, it can cause vision problems.

Will I need tests? — 

Yes. If your doctor or nurse thinks you might have cryptococcosis, they will order tests, such as:

●Chest X-ray – This lets the doctor look at the lungs.

●CT or MRI of the brain – These are imaging tests that create pictures of the brain.

●Blood tests

●Tests on a sample of sputum (mucus) from the lungs

●Lumbar puncture (also called a "spinal tap") – A doctor puts a thin needle into the lower back and removes a small sample of spinal fluid. This is the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. They do lab tests on the sample.

●Eye exam

How is cryptococcosis treated? — 

Doctors treat the infection with "antifungal" medicine to kill the fungus.

If the infection is serious, treatment first happens in the hospital. Antifungal medicines can be given by "IV" (a thin tube that goes into a vein). After a few weeks, if treatment is working, you might be able to switch to an antifungal you take by mouth.

Which medicine you get, and how long you need to take it, depends on where the infection is and your overall health. Some people need to take more than 1 antifungal. In some cases, treatment can last for a year or even longer. Your doctor will do regular tests to check how treatment is working.

Cryptococcomas (growths in the lung or brain) can be treated with steroid medicines. In some cases, doctors do surgery to remove large masses. Sometimes, they will do repeat spinal taps to remove extra spinal fluid that the infection can cause.

Can cryptococcosis be prevented? — 

Sometimes. If you have HIV infection, it's important to follow all your doctor's instructions about treatment. Do not skip any doses of your medicines. This helps protect you against infections, including cryptococcosis.

In some situations, doctors prescribe antifungal medicines to people with HIV. This can help prevent cryptococcosis.

More on this topic

Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: HIV and AIDS (The Basics)

Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (Beyond the Basics)