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Article was written by idaz medical, 

Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus gattii or Cryptococcus neoformans. The fungus is found in the environment in tropical and sub-tropical areas around the world. Symptoms will depend on where the infection occurs. An infection of the lungs will cause a pneumonia-like illness and can include cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever. Cryptococcal meningitis can occur if the fungus spreads from the lungs to the brain. 

Symptoms include headache, fever, neck pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and confusion or behavior changes.

Individuals at higher risk include individuals who are immunocompromised, have lung conditions, are 50 years or older, or smoke tobacco.

Transmission

Transmission occurs when individuals breath in the fungus.

Lab Tests & Specimen Info

Test*	Specimen
Culture (this is needed to tell the difference in C. neoformans and C. gattii)	CSF, Sputum, Lung Tissue
Immunoassay	CSF, Sputum, Lung Tissue

 Isolation Precautions

Standard precautions are recommended in healthcare settings. 

Prevention for Patients
There are no formal recommendations for preventing cryptococcosis because you can breath in the spores from the environment. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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