Cost-Effectiveness of Serum Cryptococcal Antigen Screening to Prevent Deaths among HIV-Infected Persons with a CD4+ Cell Countn ≤100 Cells/μL Who Start HIV Therapy in Resource-Limited Settings

摘要

Background. Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) remains a common AIDS-defining illness in Africa and Asia. Subclinical cryptococcal antigenemia is frequently unmasked with antiretroviral therapy (ART). We sought to define the cost-effectiveness of serum cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) screening to identify persons with subclinical cryptococcosis and the efficacy of preemptive fluconazole therapy.