Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis (including Busse- Buschke disease, as Erstbeschreibern Otto Busse and Buschke Abraham ) is a fungal infection that is caused primarily by Cryptococcus neoformans. The infection is primarily usually without symptoms. A disease occurs in humans, especially in immune compromised, especially in the final stage of HIV disease (AIDS). Increasing importance undergoes further Cryptococcus kind, Cryptococcus gattii, which until recently as a variety of C. neoformans. C. gattii is with a mortality rate of 25 percent more dangerous than C. neoformans and occurs recently appeared in a variant that is more virulent and can even healthy people as well as domesticated animals, such as dogs, cats and sheep to attack. Infections caused by other Cryptococcus species are a rarity.

Clinic

C. neoformans infects humans, especially the lungs by inhalation sporenhaltiger dust, then other organs are colonized with cryptococcal via the blood stream ( hematogenous spread ). The infection of the meninges and possibly the brain parenchyma ( cryptococcal meningitis or meningoencephalitis ) rarely causes granulomas in the brain. Other organs are usually only infected asymptomatic. According to current estimates, HIV infection, approximately one million cases of Kryptokokkenmeningoenzephalitis be alone in individuals diagnosed worldwide each year, more than 600,000 people per year die of the disease. A cryptococcosis by C. neoformans in immunocompromised people getting life-threatening: If left untreated, it usually progresses lethal and even with adequate treatment, mortality in HIV patients is almost 20 %. The treatment of cryptococcal meningitis can be effected by means of a combination therapy with amphotericin B ( 1 mg / day and kg body weight) and flucytosine (100 mg / day and kg body weight, divided into 3-4 doses).

In cats, C. neoformans primarily affects the upper respiratory tract and causes persistent nasal and eye discharge, formation of granulation tissue in the nose and paranasal sinuses, inclusions facial bones and tumor-like swelling of the face out. Rare is the infestation of the skin, brain, or the lungs.