European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: Major cause of death/Adult fungal meningitis in HIV/AIDS patients is Cryptococcus neoformans. Fungal meningitis precedes serum/plasma cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) by several weeks. Cryptococcal Antigen (CrAg) screening and presumptive treatment can prevent fungal meningitis in HIV/AIDS patients significantly. Method: The descriptive cross-sectional study included 100 ART Naive patients ( 65  males &35   females) from both ART clinic and Medicine Indoor. Serum/CSF cryptococcal positivity detected by Latex agglutination test (Pastorex TM Cryptoplus, BIO-RAD,France) and  Lateral flow assay by IMMY Kit(US FDA approved).  CD4 Counts were measured using flow cytometer (Becton-Dickinson FACS count flow cytometer) Result: Prevalence of CrAg positivity in our study is 7 %(7/100), out of which 4%(4/100) had features of meningitis. Comparison of Antigenemia with Demographic features like Age, Inpatients; Symptomatic groups were having statistically significant association (p value0.0≤5).  Low CD4 count (<50) is associated with more seropositivity 33.3 %(5/100). Clinical features like Headache,Vomiting,Fever were having statistically significant association  with cryptococcal Antigenemia. Conclusion: Prevalence of cryptococcal Antigenemia  is higher in ART Naive  HIV patients with lower CD4 count which needs urgent attention for screening and substitution of Antifungal treatment to reduce morbidity / mortality from cryptococcal meningitis