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Cryptococcal meningitis accounts for about 68% of meningitis cases in those with HIV and has a mortality rate of 10-25%, with delays in diagnosis and treatment being especially common and associated with a poor prognosis. [5] The treatment for chronic infectious meningitis is directed at the underlying infectious agent.
Cryptococcal meningitis is a primary contributor to mortality among individuals with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. [63] Approximately 160,000 cases of cryptococcal meningitis are reported in West Africa, resulting in 130,000 deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. [64] Uganda is reported to have the highest occurrence of cryptococcus meningitis. [54]
People who have C. gattii infection need to take prescription antifungal medication for at least 6 months; usually the type of treatment depends on the severity of the infection and the parts of the body that are affected. For people who have asymptomatic infections or mild-to-moderate pulmonary infections, the treatment is usually fluconazole.
Most of these conditions are opportunistic infections that are easily treated in healthy people. The staging system is different for adults and adolescents and children. [2] Stage I: HIV disease is asymptomatic and not categorized as AIDS. Stage II: include minor mucocutaneous manifestations and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections.
Meningitis is an unusual manifestation of blastomycosis and can be very difficult to diagnose. Cryptococcus (Cryptococcal meningitis) - it is thought to be acquired through inhalation of soil contaminated with bird droppings. C. neoformans is the most common pathogen to cause fungal meningitis.
Cryptococcal antigen from cerebrospinal fluid is thought to be the best test for diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis in terms of sensitivity, though it might be unreliable in HIV-positive patients. [12] The first genome sequence for a strain of C. neoformans (var. neoformans; now C. deneoformans) was published in 2005. [5]
"Meningitis vaccines are now routinely indicated as a part of childhood immunization, so a child vaccinated against the various meningococcus strains has little to fear," Adalja says. Ganjian agrees.
Diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis can be made at low cost using an India ink stain of the CSF; however, testing for cryptococcal antigen in blood or CSF is more sensitive. [ 55 ] [ 56 ] A diagnostic and therapeutic difficulty is "partially treated meningitis", where there are meningitis symptoms after receiving antibiotics (such as for ...