Mark MM, Ng’ang’a AK, Omullo FP, Bereda G, Muchiri CT. Cryptococcal antigenemia during pregnancy: A case report. World J Obstet Gynecol 2026; 15(1): 115708 [DOI: 10.5317/wjog.v15.i1.115708]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Felix Pius Omullo, MD, MBChB, Senior Researcher, Department of Medical Services, Equity Afya, Kanaamkemer, Lodwar 399-30500, Turkana, Kenya. piuskirasia@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
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Case Report
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jan 18, 2026 (publication date) through Feb 11, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
ISSN
2218-6220
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Mark MM, Ng’ang’a AK, Omullo FP, Bereda G, Muchiri CT. Cryptococcal antigenemia during pregnancy: A case report. World J Obstet Gynecol 2026; 15(1): 115708 [DOI: 10.5317/wjog.v15.i1.115708]
World J Obstet Gynecol. Jan 18, 2026; 15(1): 115708 Published online Jan 18, 2026. doi: 10.5317/wjog.v15.i1.115708
Cryptococcal antigenemia during pregnancy: A case report
Maureen Mueni Mark, Allan Kariuki Ng’ang’a, Felix Pius Omullo, Gudisa Bereda, Charles Tung’ani Muchiri
Maureen Mueni Mark, Allan Kariuki Ng’ang’a, Department of Internal Medicine and Critical Care, Murang’a County Referral Hospital, Murang’a 69-10200, Murang’a, Kenya
Felix Pius Omullo, Department of Medical Services, Equity Afya, Lodwar 399-30500, Turkana, Kenya
Gudisa Bereda, Department of Pharmacy, ALERT Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia
Charles Tung’ani Muchiri, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Murang’a County Referral Hospital, Murang’a 69-10200, Kenya
Co-first authors: Maureen Mueni Mark and Allan Kariuki Ng’ang’a.
Author contributions: Mark MM contributed to conceptualization, data collection, and drafting of the manuscript; Ng’ang’a AK contributed to patient management, literature review, and critical revision; Omullo FP contributed to manuscript drafting, investigation, and resources; Bereda G contributed to supervision, validation, and manuscript review; Muchiri CT contributed to supervision, manuscript revision, and final approval.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Felix Pius Omullo, MD, MBChB, Senior Researcher, Department of Medical Services, Equity Afya, Kanaamkemer, Lodwar 399-30500, Turkana, Kenya. piuskirasia@gmail.com
Received: October 24, 2025 Revised: November 19, 2025 Accepted: December 25, 2025 Published online: January 18, 2026 Processing time: 83 Days and 9.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This case illustrates a high-stakes clinical dilemma in late pregnancy: Adhering to the standard 4-6 week antiretroviral therapy (ART) delay to prevent immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) vs aggressively suppressing the human immunodeficiency virus viral load to prevent perinatal transmission. We demonstrate that for a woman presenting in the third trimester with isolated antigenemia, a truncated ART delay-supported by preemptive high-dose fluconazole and vigilant monitoring-was a calculated risk that achieved viral suppression for delivery without provoking IRIS. This case argues not for a new guideline, but for nuanced, individualized decision-making in complex scenarios, highlighting a critical evidence gap and the need to better define IRIS risk in pregnant women with antigenemia.
