DETECTION OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS BY SEMINESTED PCR IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID

Life-threatening infections caused by the encapsulated fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans have been increasing steadily over the past 10 years. Cryptococcus neoformans is recognized as the most frequent fungal infection of the central nervous system (CNS) in immunocompetent as well as immunocompromised patients. We report the development of a semi-nested- PCR-based assay for the detection of C. neoformans in less than 100 yeast cells per ml of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).