Pulmonary Cryptococcosis: Clinical Forms and Treatment

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured from the sputum or lungs of 80 patients. Twenty-eight of the patients were classified as having definite or probable pulmonary disease due to C. neoformans, and 40 patients were thought to be colonized by the organism without tissue invasion. Of the 28 definite and probable cases, 23 treated patients and 4 untreated patients did well and the remaining patient was terminally ill when hospitalized. Review of the accumulated experience with cryptococcosis localized to the lungs indicates that the majority of cases resolve without treatment and that the risk of development of meningitis as a postoperative complication is low.