Open AccessMeningitis Due to Cryptococcus gattii in an Immunocompetent Patient
Author(s) -
Rajesh T Patil,
Jyoti Sangwan,
Deepak Juyal,
Sumit Lathwal
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2013/6770.3492
Subject(s) - cryptococcus gattii , meningitis , cryptococcus neoformans , asymptomatic , cryptococcus , cryptococcosis , pneumonia , immunology , medicine , incidence (geometry) , biology , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , pediatrics , pathology , physics , optics
The incidence of cryptococcal infection is high in developing countries such as India. Cryptococcus gattii, formerly known as Cryptococcus neoformans var gattii, is an encapsulated yeast that causes disease in both immunocompetent and immunosupressed individuals. The organism enters via respiratory tract and causes a spectrum of illness ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe illness, including pneumonia and disseminated infection involving multiple sites, including the central nervous system, eyes and skin. Cryptococcal meningitis is generally considered as rare in immunocompetent patients; therefore, specific treatment is not implemented until the organism is identified or a cryptococcal antigen is detected. We describe the case of a 30-years-old man without prior medical history who presented with meningitis and was treated successfully. This case illustrates the importance of considering infectious causes such as C.gattii in the differential diagnosis of meningitis, regardless of the patient's immune status.