Decreasing incidence of cryptococcal meningitis in West Africa in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy

Abstract

Cryptococcosis remains a major opportunistic infection in AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, but few data exist from its western part. We report data from Bobo Dioulasso University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, with a steady decline from 14 to two cases per year from 2002 to 2010 which contrasts with the increase (from 147 to 3940) of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Better ART availability decreases the incidence of cryptococcosis in Burkina Faso.