Successful Isavuconazole Salvage Therapy for a Cryptococcus deuterogattii (AFLP6/VGII) Disseminated Infection in a European Immunocompetent Patient

Successful treatment of disseminated cryptococcosis with liposomal amphotericin B and isavuconazole in an adult living with HIV: A case report and literature review

Treating disseminated cryptococcosis in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is challenging due to the limited availability of effective antifungals. Although isavuconazole has antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, clinical evidence is sparse because this new drug has not been approved for the treatment of cryptococcosis in the US or Europe. Here, we report a case of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis that relapsed during maintenance therapy with fluconazole. A Japanese man in his 20s was diagnosed with HIV-1 infection and cryptococcal meningitis. The patient was intolerant to flucytosine and was treated with liposomal amphotericin B monotherapy for 2 weeks as induction therapy, followed by fluconazole (400 mg/day) for 3 months as consolidation therapy. Four months after starting maintenance therapy with fluconazole (200 mg/day), the patient presented with fever and cough, leading to readmission to our hospital. Biopsies of a nodule in the left lung and a left cervical lymph node led to the diagnosis of disseminated cryptococcosis (pulmonary cryptococcosis and cryptococcal lymphadenitis). Although a combination of fluconazole and liposomal amphotericin B was ineffective, the patient was successfully treated with an induction therapy combining isavuconazole and liposomal amphotericin B, followed by a maintenance therapy with isavuconazole. The patient received isavuconazole orally except for loading doses, achieving stable blood concentration levels. Moreover, we observed that blood levels of amphotericin B increased gradually with repeated administration. Therefore, isavuconazole may have a potential role in the treatment of cryptococcosis, and clinical trials involving larger numbers of cases are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.

Treatment recommendations for non-HIV associated cryptococcal meningoencephalitis including management of post-infectious inflammatory response syndrome

Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CM) continues to cause major morbidity and mortality in a range of patients such as those immunosuppressed from HIV and with biologic immunosuppressants, including treatments of autoimmunity, malignancies, and conditioning regimens for transplantation. It is currently the most common cause of non-viral meningitis in the United States. Infections in previously healthy patients also develop with autoantibodies to granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor or with monogenetic defects. In all populations, mortality and significant long-term morbidity occur in 30-50% despite therapy, and immune reconstitution and post-infectious inflammatory response syndromes complicate management. To help with these difficult cases, we present here a practical tutorial of the care of a range of patients with CM in the absence of HIV/AIDS.

Cryptococcosis in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1953 to 2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Cryptococcosis is a common opportunistic infection associated with HIV/AIDS. The present review systematically describes the clinical and biological aspects of cryptococcosis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and estimates its 2020 burden in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched online databases for records of cryptococcosis/Cryptococcus spp. in the DRC. Meta-analysis was then performed to estimate summary statistics and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 30 studies were included. These included 1,018 cryptococcosis patients, including 80.8% with NMC and predominantly immunocompromised due to HIV/AIDS (97.6%). The NMC mean prevalence was estimated at 9.63% (95% CI: 5.99-14.07). More than one in two patients (52.7%) under treatment died. Monotherapy with fluconazole was the main treatment administered (80.6%). Furthermore, we estimate that about 9,265 (95% CI: 5,763-13,537) PLHIV had cryptococcosis in 2020, in DRC; of which about 4,883 (95% CI: 3,037-7,134) would have died in the same year. Among isolates in all included studies, 74 strains have been characterized. Of these, 82.4% concerned Cryptococcus neoformans sensu lato (s.l) (exclusively of serotype A and mostly of molecular types VNI and VNII) and 17.6% concerned Cryptotoccus gattii s.l (belonging to serotype B and molecular type VGI). Cryptococcosis remains common with an unacceptably high mortality rate. A large number of PLHIV affected by and dying from cryptococcosis in 2020 demonstrates its heavy burden among the Congolese PLHIV. To mitigate this burden, it is important to improve the quality and accessibility of care for all PLHIV.

Domestic Birds as Source of Cryptococcus deuterogattii (AFLP6/VGII): Potential Risk for Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis is an infection caused by encapsulated basidiomycetous yeasts belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complexes. It is acquired through inhalation of infectious propagules, often resulting in meningitis and meningoencephalitis. The ecological niche of these agents is a wide variety of trees species, as well as pigeon, parrot and passerine excreta. The objective of this study was to isolate Cryptococcus yeasts from excreta of commercially traded parrots and passerines. The 237 samples were collected between October 2018 and April 2019 and processed using conventional methodologies. Nineteen colonies with a dark brown phenotype, caused by phenol oxidase activity, were isolated, suggesting the presence of pathogenic Cryptococcus yeasts. All isolates tested positive for urease activity. URA5-RFLP fingerprinting identified 14 isolates (68.4%) as C. neoformans (genotype AFLP1/VNI) and 5 (26.3%) as C. deuterogattii (genotype AFLP6/VGII). Multi-locus sequence typing was applied to investigate the relatedness of the C. deuterogattii isolates with those collected globally, showing that those originating from bird-excreta were genetically indistinguishable from some clinical isolates collected during the past two decades.

Ophthalmic manifestations of Cryptococcus gattii species complex: a case series and review of the literature

AIM

To report 4 cases of Cryptococcus gattii (C. gattii) species complex infection with diverse ophthalmic manifestations, and to review the literature to examine pathobiology of disease, classical ophthalmic presentations and outcomes, and treatment modalities for this emerging pathogen.

METHODS

Cases of C. gattii meningoencephalitis with ophthalmic manifestations were identified via chart review at two institutions in Australia and one institution in the mid-west region of the United States and are reported as a case series. Additionally, a MEDLINE literature review was conducted to identify all reported cases of C. gattii with ophthalmic manifestations from 1990-2020. Cases were reviewed and tabulated, together with our series of patients, in this report.

RESULTS

Four cases of C. gattii with ophthalmic manifestations are presented; three from Australia and one from the USA. A literature review identified a total of 331 cases of C. gattii with visual sequelae. The majority of cases occurred in immunocompetent individuals. Blurred vision and diplopia were the most common presenting symptoms, with papilloedema the most common sign, reported in 10%-50% of cases. Visual loss was reported in 10%-53% of cases, as compared to rates of visual loss of 1%-9% in C. neoformans infection. Elevated intracranial pressure, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fungal burden, and abnormal neurological exam at presentation correlated with poor visual outcomes. The mainstays of treatment are anti-fungal agents and aggressive management of intracranial hypertension with serial lumbar punctures. CSF diversion procedures should be considered for refractory cases. Acetazolamide and mannitol are associated with high complication rates, and adjuvant corticosteroids have demonstrated higher mortality rates; these treatments should be avoided.

CONCLUSION

Permanent visual loss represents a devastating yet potentially preventable sequelae of C. gattii infection. Intracranial hypertension needs to be recognised early and aggressively managed. Referral to an ophthalmologist/neuro-ophthalmologist in all cases of cryptococcal infection independent of visual symptoms at time of diagnosis is recommended.