Detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in cerebrospinal fluid from meningitis patients associated with HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

The significanceof Cryptococcus var. neoformans meningitisfatality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)and acquiredimmunedeficiencysyndrome(AIDS)patients wasconfirmedin ten cerebrospinal fluids(CSFs)fromEntebbehospitalsin Uganda.Allten CSF specimenswere turbid, but on centrifugation,their supernatantswere clear and colourless. The proteincontentof the specimens rangedfrom20to 50mg per 100mlof CSF (normalrange is 10 to 40mg/100ml). Sugarcontentrangedbetween20 to 60mg per 100ml CFS (normalrange 45 to 72mg/100ml). The white bloodcell (WBC)counts in the ten specimens rangedfrom15 to 40 WBC/mm^3 of CSF (normalrange up to 5 WBC/mm^3). Gram stainonthe deposits,showedcapsulatedCryptococcus (Cr.)neoformans var. neoformans which werefurtherdemonstrated in Odongo-Aginya stainusing5%eosinin 10%formalinmixedin equalvolumewith 7.5%nigrosinin 10%formalin(Odongo-Aginya et al., 1995).ZiehlNeel- sen stain on the deposits,for acidalcoholfast bacilliwasnegative.Cr. neoformans var.ne- oformans wereisolatedfromall CSFspecimens and all patientsinvestigated,diedwithinone weekfromthe time of admissionto the hospitals.