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Bibliographic Info

GuidelineWHO guidelines on the management of advanced HIV disease
Year of Publication2025
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization

Recommendation

Status
Maintained

Recommended in favor

Strong

Screening for cryptococcal antigen followed by pre-emptive antifungal therapy among cryptococcal antigen–positive people to prevent the development of invasive cryptococcal disease is recommended before initiating or reinitiating ART for adults and adolescents living with HIV who have a CD4 cell count <100 cells/mm3

Notes and Remarks

These recommendations would apply equally to people who present to care again after a period of disengagement from care with advanced HIV disease. Cryptococcal antigen screening followed by pre-emptive therapy would be preferrable over providing fluconazole primary prophylaxis when considering cost, the potential for developing antifungal resistance and concerns about fetal safety among women of childbearing age without access to adequate contraception. These recommendations apply to adults and adolescents with advanced HIV disease. The decision to not extend these recommendations to children was based on the recognition that cryptococcal disease in this age group is rare, even in countries with high incidence

Also Featured In

This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:

Originally Developed
Guideline

Guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention, and management of cryptococcal disease in HIV-infected adults, adolescents and children, March 2018: supplement to the 2016 consolidated guidelines of the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection

Year2018
InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Guideline

Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, testing, treatment, service delivery and monitoring: recommendations for a public health approach

Year2021
InstitutionWHO
Guideline

Guidelines for diagnosing, preventing and managing cryptococcal disease among adults, adolescents and children living with HIV.

Year2022
InstitutionWorld Health Organization
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