Fatal Cryptococcus gattii genotype VGI infection in an HIV-positive patient in Barranquilla, Colombia

Abstract

Cryptococcosis is a major invasive fungal disease related worldwide with the AIDS population. New reports of HIV/AIDS cases to the national public health surveillance system (SIVIGILA) in Colombia have shown that there is a growing community at risk of contracting cryptococcosis throughout the country who do not have access to ART. Even though the most prevalent species Cryptococcus neoformans is mainly associated with the HIV population, we report a fatal case of cryptococcosis in an AIDS patient in Barranquilla, associated with Cryptococcus gattii VGI, isolated from blood culture.

Prevalence of cryptococcosis in Atlántico, department of Colombia assessed with an active epidemiological search

“…The prevalence of C. neoformans and C. gattii detected in this study is in accord with previous studies. Predominant symptoms were headache, fever, and confusion, followed by coughing, seizures, and meningeal signs, which were also reported in previous studies 4,5,7,12,13 .…”

“…Thus, underreporting of cases leads to misinformation and distortion of the real magnitude of this pathology. Different reports have confirmed the importance of this mycosis in Colombia 4,5,[12][13][14] . A strategy of improving the surveillance for cryptococcosis through an active search was implemented in this study with the participation of trained clinical staff in hospitals and health institutions.…”

Genotypic and Phenotypic Diversity of Cryptococcus gattii VGII Clinical Isolates and Its Impact on Virulence

“…It has been estimated that each year human cryptococcosis affects nearly 220,000 individuals, of which 181,100 cases result in death ( Rajasingham et al, 2017 ). Although members of the C. neoformans complex are the major agents of the cryptococcosis cases worldwide, C. gattii species complex isolates have emerged as primary pathogens due to their increasing geographical expansion and the high lethality rate of their infections ( Chen et al, 2014 ; Espinel-Ingroff and Kidd, 2015 ; Amburgy et al, 2016 ; Farrer et al, 2016 ; Lockhart et al, 2016 ; Souto et al, 2016 ; Acheson et al, 2017 ; da Silva et al, 2017 ; Noguera et al, 2017 ; Velez and Escandon, 2017 ).…”

The status of cryptococcosis in Latin America

“…2003 , Refojo et al 2009 , Cattana et al 2013 , Mazza et al 2013 , Cattana et al 2014 , Cattana et al 2015 , Cicora et al 2015 , Arechavala et al 2017 ), Brazil ( Casali et al 2003 , Trilles et al 2003 , Igreja et al 2004 , Abegg et al 2006 , Ribeiro et al 2006 , Matsumoto et al 2007 , Lugarini et al 2008 , Ribeiro & Ngamskulrungroj 2008 , dos Santos et al 2008 , Trilles et al 2008 , Costa et al 2009 , Andrade-Silva et al 2010 , Pinto Jr et al 2010 , Souza et al 2010 , Ferreira-Paim et al 2011, d , da Silva et al 2012 , Freire et al 2012 , Silva et al 2012 , Cardoso et al 2013 , Tsujisaki et al 2013 , Anzai et al 2014 , Nascimento et al 2014 , Brito-Santos et al 2015 , Headley et al 2015 , Castro e Silva et al 2016 , Figueiredo et al 2016 , Lomes et al 2016 , Souto et al 2016 , Aguiar et al 2017, d , da Silva et al 2017) , Chile ( Calvo et al 2001 , Meyer et al. 2003 , Solar et al 2015) , Colombia ( Meyer et al 2003 , Escandón et al 2006 , Escandón et al 2010 , Firacative et al 2011 , Lizarazo et al 2012 , Lizarazo et al 2014a , Lizarazo et al 2014b , Noguera et al 2015 , Cogliati et al 2016 , Firacative et al 2016 , Noguera et al 2017 , ...…”