Cryptococcosis classification

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Serge Korjian M.D.; Yazan Daaboul, M.D.

Classification

Cryptococcosis may be classified based on the site of infection i.e. the clinical syndrome, or the species or variety of the cryptococcus causative organism.

Site of Infection

• Pulmonary Cryptococcosis

• The most common clinical syndrome associated with Cryptococcus.
• Related to the mode of transmission via aerosolized basidiospores.
• Extra-pulmonary infections are thought to be secondary to a primary pulmonary infection even in cases where the latter is not evident.

• Central Nervous System (CNS) Cryptococcosis

• Classically seen in patients with AIDS and low CD4 counts (below 100).
• Secondary to dissemination of inhaled spores in patients who are severely immunocompromised.
• Cryptococcosis is the number one cause of meningitis in adults.

• Disseminated Cryptococcosis

• Most often involves the skin, soft tissue, and the medulla of the bone in addition to the lungs and CNS.
• Also associated with a severely immunocompromised status.

Causative Species or Variety

• Cryptococcus neoformans

• Cryptococcus neoformans v. neoformans
• Cryptococcus neoformans v. grubii

• Cryptococcus gattii
• Cryptococcus uniguttulatus
• Cryptococcus laurentii
• Cryptococcus albidus
• Although other species of cryptococci exist, they are not known to be infectious to humans.