Cryptococcosis in China (1985-2010): review of cases from Chinese database

Cryptococcosis is a potential fatal disease, especially in immunocompromised patients. In China, the profile of cryptococcosis is unclear. Therefore, we summarize the epidemiology and therapy of cryptococcosis in china.

All cases reports about cryptococcosis in China were collected from CBMdisk database (China Biology and Medicine data disc) with key words of cryptococcosis, or cryptococcal infection, or cryptococcus, and case. The features of the cryptococcosis were retrospectively analyzed.

There were 1,032 reports about cryptococcosis, including 8,769 cases. Among them, there were 16% patient with AIDS/HIV, and 17% ones without underlying diseases. There were 2,371 cases of CNS infection. Among them of 2,068 cases, the treatment protocols and outcome were clearly described. The percentages of patients who received intrathecal treatment of amphotericin B(AmB), AmB + 5-FC(5-fluorocytosine), AmB + FCZ(fluconazole), and AmB + 5-FU + FCZ in each medication group were 10, 43, 53, and 33%, respectively. The mortalities were significantly lower in the AmB, Amb + 5-FC, AmB + FCZ intrathecal treatment groups compared with their non-intrathecal treatment controls (6% vs. 23%, 25% vs. 35%, 20% vs. 30%, respectively, P < 0.05), but not in the intrathecal AmB + 5-FU + FCZ group (35% vs. 26%, P > 0.05).

The Chinese cryptococcosis had its own special clinical features, such as more patients without identifiable underlying diseases. Intrathecal injection of amphotericin B was effective treatment method for cryptococcal CNS infection in China.