What is Cryptococcosis?

What is Cryptococcosis?

• Cryptococcosis: A fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans which primarily affects the central nervous system and the lungs. People with weakened immune systems such as AIDS sufferers are generally more susceptible to this type of infection.
• Cryptococcosis: An acute or chronic, localized or disseminated infection by Cryptococcus neoformans. Sites of involvement include the lungs, central nervous system and meninges, skin, and visceral organs.--2004
  Source - Diseases Database
• Cryptococcosis: a fungal infection characterized by nodular lesions--first in the lungs and spreading to the nervous system.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Cryptococcosis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Cryptococcosis, or a subtype of Cryptococcosis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Cryptococcosis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Name and Aliases of Cryptococcosis

Main name of condition: Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcus neoformans, C. neoformans, Busse-Buschke disease, European Blastomycosis, Torulosis

Busse-Buschke disease, European blastomycosis, Torulosis, Cryptococcus neoformans Source - Diseases Database

Types of Cryptococcosis:

Subtypes of Cryptococcosis: C. neoformans var. neoformans, C. neoformans var. gattii
Parent types of Cryptococcosis: Fungal disease, Diseases contagious from birds

How many people get Cryptococcosis?

Prevalance of Cryptococcosis: 0.2-0.9 cases per 100,000 in the general population (DBMD)
Prevalance Rate of Cryptococcosis: approx 1 in 500,000 or 0.00% or 544 people in USA [about data]
Incidence (annual) of Cryptococcosis: 0.2-0.9 cases per 100,000 in the general population (DBMD)
Incidence Rate of Cryptococcosis: approx 1 in 500,000 or 0.00% or 544 people in USA [about data]
Prevalance of Cryptococcosis: 0.2-0.9 cases per 100,000 in the general population. Among persons with AIDS, the annual incidence is 2-4 cases per 1,000. (Source: excerpt from Cryptococcosis: DBMD)

How serious is Cryptococcosis?

Complications of Cryptococcosis: see complications of Cryptococcosis

What causes Cryptococcosis?

Causes of Cryptococcosis: C. neoformans var. neoformans has been isolated from the soil worldwide, usually in association with bird droppings. Less common etiologic agent, C. neoformans var. gattii has been isolated from eucalyptus trees in tropical and sub-tropical regions. (Source: excerpt from Cryptococcosis: DBMD)
Class of Condition for Cryptococcosis: parasite fungal
Causes of Cryptococcosis: see causes of Cryptococcosis
Risk factors for Cryptococcosis: see risk factors for Cryptococcosis

Can anyone else get Cryptococcosis?

More information: see contagiousness of Cryptococcosis

How is it treated?

Treatments for Cryptococcosis: see treatments for Cryptococcosis
Research for Cryptococcosis: see research for Cryptococcosis

Society issues for Cryptococcosis

Hospitalization statistics for Cryptococcosis: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Cryptococcosis:

• 0.0008% (100) of hospital consultant episodes were for cryptococcosis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 71% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 68% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 32% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 61% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 29.3 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for cryptococcosis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 18 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for cryptococcosis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 36 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for cryptococcosis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 94% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 14% of hospital consultant episodes for cryptococcosis were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.0028% (1,450) of hospital bed days were for cryptococcosis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)