Health Encyclopedia

Meningitis - cryptococcal

Definition

Cryptococcal meningitis is a fungal infection of the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord. These tissues are called meninges.

Alternative Names

Cryptococcal meningitis

Causes

In most cases, cryptococcal meningitis is caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. This fungus is found in soil around the world. Cryptococcus gattii can also cause meningitis, but this form can cause disease in people with a normal immune system as well.

This type of meningitis is not spread from person to person. Usually, it spreads through the bloodstream to the brain from another place in the body that has the initial infection.

Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis most often affects people with a weakened immune system, including people with:

AIDS
Cirrhosis (a type of liver disease)
Diabetes
Leukemia
Lymphoma
Sarcoidosis
An organ transplant

Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis is rare in people who have a normal immune system and no long-term health problems.

Symptoms

This form of meningitis starts slowly, over a few days to a few weeks. Symptoms may include:

Fever
Hallucinations
Headache
Mental status change (confusion)
Nausea and vomiting
Sensitivity to light
Stiff neck

Exams and Tests

Your health care provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms.

A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is used to diagnose meningitis. In this test, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is removed from the space around your spine and tested.

Other tests that may be done include:

Blood culture
Chest x-ray
Cryptococcal antigen in CSF or blood
CSF examination for cell count, glucose, and protein
CT scan of the head
Gram stain, other special stains, and culture of CSF

Treatment

Antifungal medicines are used to treat this form of meningitis. Intravenous (IV, through a vein) therapy with amphotericin B is the most common treatment. It is often combined with an oral antifungal medicine called 5-flucytosine.

Another oral medicine, fluconazole, may also be effective in high doses. If needed, it will be prescribed later in the disease course.

Outlook (Prognosis)

People who recover from cryptococcal meningitis need long-term medicine to prevent the infection from coming back. People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, will also need long-term treatment to improve their immune system.

Possible Complications

These complications may occur from this infection:

Brain damage
Hearing or vision loss
Hydrocephalus (excessive CSF in the brain)
Seizures
Death

Amphotericin B can have side effects such as:

Nausea and vomiting
Fever and chills
Joint and muscles aches
Kidney damage

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call 911 or the local emergency number if you develop any of the serious symptoms listed above. Meningitis can quickly become a life-threatening illness.

Call the local emergency number or go to an emergency room if you suspect meningitis in a young child who has these symptoms:

Feeding difficulties
High-pitched cry
Irritability
Persistent, unexplained fever

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Meningitis. About fugal meningitis. www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/fungal-meningitis.html. Updated January 7, 2025. Accessed March 13, 2025.

Chen SC-A. Cryptococcosis. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 309.

Perfect JR. Cryptococcosis (Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 262.

Review Date:11/10/2024
Reviewed By:Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Roy and Diana Vagelos Professor in Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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