What are the recommended follow-up protocols for patients treated for cryptococcal infections to prevent recurrence?

There are no specific UK guideline recommendations provided in the supplied context explicitly addressing follow-up protocols for patients treated for cryptococcal infections to prevent recurrence. However, general principles for managing fungal or severe infections suggest the following:

• Assess for underlying immunodeficiency: Testing for HIV and other immunodeficiencies is important in patients with severe infections to identify risk factors for recurrence and guide follow-up care ¹.
• Specialist referral: Patients with recurrent or severe infections should be reviewed by infectious disease or immunology specialists to determine appropriate investigations, vaccinations, and interventions to prevent recurrence ¹.
• Patient education: Patients should be informed about symptoms of relapse and advised on how to seek prompt medical attention if symptoms recur, as is recommended for other serious infections like tuberculosis ².

In the absence of cryptococcal-specific follow-up protocols in the provided UK guidelines, these general principles should guide follow-up care to prevent recurrence.