IJSRP, Volume 6, Issue 9, September 2016 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Burmen Barbara, Sigo Timons, Mutai Kennedy
Abstract:
Cryptococcal meningitis, one of the leading opportunistic infections among HIV-infected persons with advanced disease, has a mortality rate of 67%. Cryptococcal Antigen (CrAg) test detects Cryptococcus neoformans antigen threeweeks before onset of symptoms when institution of therapy is likely to improve patient outcomes. Previously, CD4counts were used for ART monitoring and patients were only flagged for a targeted viral load test (VL) to confirm suspected treatment failure if there was a 30% CD4 decline from peak or failure to increase CD4 counts to 100 cells/µl after 12 months of therapy.