Cryptococcosis Personal Stories

At a glance

  • Stephen is a doctor in Uganda who lives with HIV who shares his experience with cryptococcal meningitis.
  • Terri's fight with cryptococcosis provides insights into the challenges in diagnosis and treatment.
Woman making a peace sign before getting an MRI

Stephen's story

Stephen, a doctor in Uganda, has fought multiple, potentially fatal diseases professionally and personally. He has lived with HIV for over 20 years, was diagnosed with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and Kaposi's sarcoma in 1999. He became sick with cryptococcosis infection, having symptoms like high fever, sensitivity to light, and intense pain and headaches that did not go away.

"The pain was so bad that I couldn't even open my eyes. Nobody should have to go through this," said Stephen.

Doctor standing outside a clinic
Dr. Stephen treats HIV patients at his clinic in Uganda.
Keep Reading: Stephen's Story: Cryptococcosis

Terri's story

For three weeks, Terri thought she had the flu, with symptoms including a persistent cough. Terri received a liver transplant 28 years ago and took medication to weaken her immune system and prevent her body from rejecting her liver. As a result, it would take her slower than usual to recover from common infections. The illness she thought was the flu, turned out to be cryptococcosis infection after diagnosis.

Woman giving a peace sign
Terri learned her flu-like symptoms were a cryptococcosis infection.
Keep Reading: Terri's Story: Cryptococcosis
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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)