Finger-Prick Whole Blood Cryptococcal Antigen Lateral Flow Assay for the Diagnosis of Cryptococcosis in HIV-Negative Patients: A Case Series Study in Two Tertiary Centers in São Paulo, Brazil.

Cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients can be an opportunistic or endemic disease. There are no published studies on the use of the finger-prick whole blood (point-of-care) cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay (CrAg LFA) for diagnosing cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients. We conducted a case series study of HIV-negative patients with cryptococcosis in two centers in São Paulo, Brazil. The objectives were to identify the sensitivity of a finger-prick whole blood CrAg LFA and to describe the main characteristics of this population. We identified 30 HIV-negative patients with cryptococcosis [19 (63%), male; median age, 47 years]. Ten (33%) patients were immunosuppressed, ten (33%) had other comorbidities, and ten (33%) were apparently immunocompetent and without comorbidities. The distribution of the sites of cryptococcosis was as follows: the central nervous system, 90% (n = 27); pulmonary, 43% (n = 13); and other extrapulmonary sites, 40% (n = 12). The sensitivity of the finger-prick whole blood CrAg LFA for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis was 97% (29/30). Among 26 participants with cryptococcal meningitis, the sensitivity of testing cerebrospinal fluid was as follows: CrAg latex agglutination, 77% (20/26); CrAg LFA, 96% (25/26); and culture, 81% (21/26). Culture speciation identified Cryptococcus gattii in 16 (62%) cases, and all had a positive finger-prick whole blood CrAg LFA. This test presented high sensitivity to the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients, including those caused by C. gattii.

AIDS-related cytomegalovirus encephalitis in the late ART era: A retrospective cohort study at a referral center in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: AIDS-related cytomegalovirus (CMV) encephalitis has declined in the combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) era in high-income countries. However, there is scarce information on CMV encephalitis in low- and middle-income countries. The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence of AIDS-related CMV encephalitis and describe its main features. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study carried out at a referral center in São Paulo, Brazil. We included adult people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), hospitalized in 2019, with a CD4 cell count ≤100/mm3 and quantitation CMV DNA results in plasma. Cases with compatible neurological manifestations and detection of CMV DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in cerebrospinal fluid samples were defined as CMV encephalitis. RESULTS: Among 761 PLWHA hospitalized, 248 (32.5%) cases were included in this study. Prevalence of CMV encephalitis was 2.4% (6/248) among all included cases and 7.7% (6/78) among individuals with neurological opportunistic diseases. The six patients with CMV encephalitis were males and had CD4 cell count <50/mm3. Five (83%) cases had CMV encephalitis as AIDS-defining disease and showed CMV DNA detection by PCR >50,000 UI/mL plasma. All six cases received anti-CMV therapy (ganciclovir, n = 4; ganciclovir plus foscarnet, n = 2) and five were discharged to home. CMV encephalitis was not uncommon among hospitalized PLWHA with neurological opportunistic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiological and immunological profile of individuals with CMV encephalitis was similar to that described in the pre-ART era, but in contrast, most cases were treated and discharged from the hospital.

Cytomegalovirus retinitis in hospitalized people living with HIV in the late antiretroviral therapy era in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: There is scarce information on AIDS-related cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in middle-income countries. The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence of active CMV retinitis in severely immunosuppressed people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and to describe its main features. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was carried out at a tertiary center in São Paulo, Brazil. We included hospitalized adults PLWHIV with CD4 count ≤100 cells/µL, ≥ one quantitation of CMV DNA in plasma, and indirect ophthalmoscopy evaluation. RESULTS: Thirty-eight (21.6%) of 176 participants had at least an ophthalmoscopy diagnosis and only 3 (1.7%) individuals presented active CMV retinitis. All these participants were male, and retinitis was asymptomatic in 2 cases. Two participants had extraocular end-organ CMV disease and detectable CMV DNA in plasma. CONCLUSIONS: These results show a low prevalence of active CMV retinitis in the evaluated population. However, 2 of 3 participants had asymptomatic active CMV retinitis and a fifth of participants had at least one ophthalmoscopy diagnosis, suggesting the need for routine ophthalmologic evaluation in hospitalized severely immunosuppressed PLWHIV. The profile of participants with active CMV retinitis was similar to that described in the pre-ART era and quantitation of CMV DNA in plasma was variable.