What should my crptococcal antigen value be given my circumstances? I was hospitalized in Oct. 2000 for 4 weeks with cryptococcol meningitis, taking amphotericin B, released and have been taking fluconozole for about 18 weeks. My docs keep saying the test results "value" is high but I don't know what the normal value or low value should be. In December my cryptococcol antigen value was 1:13000 and now is 1:32768. better? My CD4 count in the hospital was 48 and is now 129, viral load now at 950 copies. I take viracept, videx EC, zerit, zithromax, fluconozole, aerosolized pentamidine, and claritin. I don't want to relapse. Can you suggest any added therapies? Thanks.

I am assuming that this is your serum antigen titer and not the titer in your cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Although the latter is more accurate and predictive, it requires a spinal tap to obtain CSF. The current value sounds like 1-2 tube dilutions away from the earlier, lower value, and that can be within the range for how the accuracy of this test. A normal value would be zero, since it's not 'normal' to have cryptococcal infection.

I don't think there is anything else you should be doing except to take your medications faithfully. Your viral load and T cells are all moving the right directions, so stick with the program.