Background: Cryptococcal infection has been increasingly reported in patients with COVID-19 infection, but the epidemiological factors, presentation, diagnostic certainty, and outcome have not been well-described.
Methods: We reviewed the published cases of COVID-19-associated Cryptococcus infections (CACI) to shed the light on the burden of this infection.
Results: We identified 13 patients with confirmed cryptococcal infection. Cryptococcus infection was primarily seen in patients with severe COVID-19 disease who received corticosteroids therapy and admitted to the intensive care unit. Pulmonary CACI was the most common reported infection followed by cryptococcal meningitis.
Conclusion: In light of the high mortality rate, clinicians should maintain a high clinical suspicion of CACI in critically ill patients.
Keywords: COVID-19; Cryptococcus; Fungus; Immunosuppressive; Opportunistic infections.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.