Cryptococcal meningitis is a debilitating and lethal fungal disease that afflicts persons with compromised immune symptoms. Of the many neglected diseases, tropical and otherwise, it may be the most overlooked.
There is no day named for its awareness, no celebrity ambassador to champion its demise. The World Health Organization (WHO) team tasked with addressing cryptococcal meningitis is a team of one.
That’s also the number of times cryptococcal meningitis is mentioned in the 500-plus pages of the latest UNAIDS report.
Not since 2009 has it been mentioned in The New York Times.
Immuno Mycologics in Norman, Okla. is developing an assay that can detect the disease while it’s still at treatable stages in its progress.
Patrick Adams has the report.