Lakshmi, VSudha, TTeja, V DUmabala, P2007-04-222009-05-282007-04-222009-05-282007-04-22Lakshmi V, Sudha T, Teja VD, Umabala P. Prevalence of central nervous system cryptococcosis in human immunodeficiency virus reactive hospitalized patients. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2007 Apr; 25(2): 146-9http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/53614Central nervous system cryptococcosis is an important cause of mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reactive patients. A retrospective study was conducted on a total of 1,863 HIV reactive hospitalized patients suspected of cryptococcal meningitis. Three hundred and fifty-nine cerebrospinal fluid specimens of these cases were screened for various cryptococcal investigations. Thirty-nine out of 359 (10.86%) showed a definite diagnosis of cryptococcosis with a mortality rate of 25.64%. Prevalence of cryptococcal meningitis in the total HIV reactive cohort was 2.09%. Concurrent cryptococcal meningitis and tuberculosis was seen in 33.3% cases. A high index of clinical suspicion and routine mycological surveillance is required to help an early diagnosis and appropriate therapy, as majority of patients respond well to therapy if treated early.engAIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections --epidemiologyCerebrospinal Fluid --microbiologyHIV Infections --complicationsHIV-1HospitalizationHumansIndia --epidemiologyMeningitis, Cryptococcal --epidemiologyPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesTuberculosis --epidemiologyJournal Article