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Review
. 2022 Aug;50(4):1007-1012.
doi: 10.1007/s15010-022-01805-y. Epub 2022 Mar 24.

COVID-19-associated Cryptococcus infection (CACI): a review of literature and clinical pearls

Dinesh Regalla  1 , Mollie VanNatta  2 , Mohammad Alam  1 , Alexandre E Malek  3
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19-associated Cryptococcus infection (CACI): a review of literature and clinical pearls

Dinesh Regalla et al. Infection. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Cryptococcal infection has been increasingly reported in patients with COVID-19 infection, but the epidemiological factors, presentation, diagnostic certainty, and outcome have not been well-described.

Methods: We reviewed the published cases of COVID-19-associated Cryptococcus infections (CACI) to shed the light on the burden of this infection.

Results: We identified 13 patients with confirmed cryptococcal infection. Cryptococcus infection was primarily seen in patients with severe COVID-19 disease who received corticosteroids therapy and admitted to the intensive care unit. Pulmonary CACI was the most common reported infection followed by cryptococcal meningitis.

Conclusion: In light of the high mortality rate, clinicians should maintain a high clinical suspicion of CACI in critically ill patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cryptococcus; Fungus; Immunosuppressive; Opportunistic infections.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

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