Spinal Fluid Alcohol in Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Virulence probably plays a relatively small role in the outcome of this infection: the crucial factor is the immune status of the host. The most serious infections usually develop, in fact, in patients with defective cell-mediated immunity, for example those with AIDS, organ transplantation, reticuloendothelial malignancy, corticosteroid treatment and sarcoidosis, but not in subjects with neutr...

Cryptococcal meningitis

© 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd the second most common cause of death in HIV infection after tuberculosis (French et al. 2002). Moreover, despite the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), it continues to pose diffi cult management questions in the industrialized world. Questions remain for physicians regarding the optimal combination of antifungal agents, duration of tre...

The Cerebro-Spinal Fluid in Meningitis.

False-negative cerebrospinal fluid cryptococcal latex agglutination tests for patients with culture-positive cryptococcal meningitis.

Three cases of false-negative cerebrospinal fluid latex agglutination test results for patients with culture-positive cryptococcal meningitis are reported. False-negative results occurred in settings of low cryptococcal antigen concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid and were dependent on the latex agglutination test kit used. Investigation of each case revealed that prozone phenomena or interfer...

Cryptococcal meningitis complicating sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND Cryptococcal meningitis is an uncommon but severe complication of sarcoidosis. METHODS We present 2 patients with cryptococcal meningitis complicating sarcoidosis and compared findings with 38 cases reported in the literature. RESULTS When analyzing our patients and 38 cases reported in the literature, we found that median age of sarcoidosis patients with cryptococcal meningitis ...