Public Health Implications of Cryptococcal Infection among HIV Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Hospital in Shika, Nigeria

Cryptococcal meningitis is a leading cause of death in AIDS patients and contributes substantially to the high early mortality in antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs in low-resource settings. A hospital-based seroprevalence of cryptococcal antigen among HIV patients on ART program was determined using the Alpha cryptococccal Antigen EIA KIT. The prevalence was low in the study area probably because the ART monitoring program used helped in reducing the incidence of cryptococccal infection. Routine screening of HIV patients is needed for early detection of the infection before unset of complicating clinical signs.