What is your approach when cryptococcus serum or CSF antigen titers do not change despite treatment in HIV-positive patients with cryptococcal meningitis or invasive disease, but there is clinical improvement and cultures remain negative?
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What is your approach when cryptococcal serum or CSF antigen titers do not change despite treatment in HIV-positive patients with cryptococcal meningitis or invasive disease, but there is clinical improvement and cultures remain negative?
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1 Answer
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Infectious Disease · University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Answered on
While cryptococcal antigen is an excellent diagnostic marker for this infection, with excellent sensitivity and specificity, it is not reliable for tracking response to therapy. An initially high CSF antigen level has been identified as a sign of poor prognosis in patients with AIDS, but multiple studies have shown a lack of any correlation between changes in CSF or serum cryptococcal antigen and the outcome of cryptococcal meningitis.
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