How is an infection with Cryptococcus gattii diagnosed?
The diagnosis can be made by microscopic examination and/or culture of tissue or body fluids such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid and sputum. The cryptococcal antigen test is a rapid test that can be performed on blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid to make the diagnosis. Culture of the organism is essential to differentiate between the two species, but Cryptococcus gattii cannot currently be distinguished from Cryptococcus neoformans without special laboratory testing available at CDC and at some state health department laboratories.
