Meningitis secondary to Cryptococcus gattii, an emerging pathogen affecting immunocompetent hosts

BACKGROUND Meningitis continues to be one of the most important infections diagnosed and treated by emergency physicians. Despite the advent of anti-infective therapy, meningitis carries a mortality rate of 20%-40%. In this study, we describe the first reported emergency medicine case of meningitis associated with Cryptococcus gattii to alert providers of this insidious, emerging global pathogen infecting immunocompetent individuals. METHODS We provided a case report and accompanying review of the literature. A MEDLINE search for the term Cryptoccocus gattii was performed to obtain background information on Cryptococcus gattii. RESULTS After two months of hospitalization, the patient was eventually discharged neurologically intact except for a continued mild bilateral hearing deficit. CONCLUSION Cryptococcus gattii is an emerging world pathogen, which affects otherwise healthy, immunocompetent patients and requires timely identification and treatment in order to prevent severe neurological sequelae.