A Seattle woman with HIV complains of headaches and also displays some memory loss. Because of her history, the physician collects cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sends it to the laboratory for analysis. The following image is seen using India ink stain. What is the most likely identification of this organism?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The India ink stain shows spherical yeast cells with halos, which is characteristic of Cryptococcus spp. This stain is commonly used for the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV-positive patients. Among the answer choices, only Cryptococcus gattii is known to cause infections in humans.

A Seattle Woman with HIV Complains of Headaches and Also