Cryptococcal meningitis with malaria

Cryptococcal meningitis is an uncommon infection globally, including Nigeria. This systemic fungal infection often is associated with immunodeficiency. The most common causes of meningitis in Nigeria in the 2–3 year age group are the malaria parasites and bacteria. The concomittant infections ofCryptococcal neoformans andPlasmodium falciparum are uncommon. We present here the report of a case of fatal cryptococcal meningitis with malaria infection in a 2 year old child from Nigeria (one of the malaria endemic regions of the world). This case emphasizes the importance of doing a combination of fungal and bacterial cultures as well as looking for malarial parasites in the determination of etiological agents of meningitis in any hospital in Africa. We suggest that cerebrospinal fluid from meningitis cases must be cultured using Sabouraud dextrose agar and any growth on the agar must be examined using Indian ink.     

系统性红斑狼疮合并隐球菌脑膜炎1例

1临床资料 患者女,42岁。因“反复关节痛、口腔溃疡4年,头痛10d”于2008年1月急诊入院,患者4a前因反复关节痛、口腔溃疡,当地医院查自身抗体：ANA（＋）,nRNP／Sm、SSA、组蛋白均阳性。血常规中白细胞2．4×10^9／L,红细胞3．42×10^12／L,血红蛋白73g/L。诊断为系统性红斑狼疮,给予强的松40mg／d口服1个月后病情好转,3a内逐渐将强的松减量为10mg／d维持已1a。     

Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

A patient was admitted to hospital with an apparent psychiatric disturbance. When she became stuporous the cerebrospinal fluid was cultured but proved sterile. The latex test showed that serum was positive for cryptococcal antigens, and cryptococcal meningoencephalitis was diagnosed. Amphotericin B was given but when she developed a toxic reaction it was replaced by flucytosine. She responded well to flucytosine alone and no side effects appeared on continued treatment. Cryptococcal meningitis may present as a psychiatric disturbance, and serological tests are invaluable aids to diagnosis.     

Cryptococcal meningitis in the immunocompromised host: intracranial hypertension and other complications

Cryptococcosis as a complication of the immunocompromised host has dramatically increased in frequency since the start of the AIDS epidemic. This trend has heightened awareness of the complications of cryptococcal meningitis; of these, intracranial hypertension is common, severe, and life-threatening, as exemplified by three cases in our institutions presented here in detail. An aggressive approach to management of this complication has not been the standard of care, but neurosurgical interventional studies combined with physiologic observations suggest early intervention may reduce the devastating morbidity and mortality. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

系统性红斑狼疮并发隐球菌性脑膜炎:1例报告并文献复习

目的探讨系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)合并隐球菌性脑膜炎的诊断及鉴别诊断。方法对1例SLE并发隐球菌性脑膜炎患者的临床及实验室检查特点进行分析,并结合文献复习进行讨论。结果患者出现中枢感染前长期使用泼尼松治疗,曾误诊为狼疮脑病应用激素冲击治疗无效;治疗过程中出现狼疮活动,激素加量后症状缓解。结论 SLE并发隐球菌性脑膜炎患者的临床表现缺乏特异性,感染相关症状与SLE表现部分重叠,腰穿脑脊液墨汁染色找隐球菌和隐球菌抗原乳胶凝集试验是诊断的主要手段。及时诊断和有效抗真菌治疗可改善患者的预后。     

肾移植术后隐球菌性脑膜炎合并肺炎1例并文献复习

目的 探讨肾移植术后隐球菌性脑膜炎合并肺炎的诊断及治疗.方法 对1例肾移植术后隐球菌性脑膜炎合并肺炎患者的临床及实验室检查特点进行分析,并结合文献复习进行讨论.结果 给予患者两性霉素B脂质体联合伏立康唑诱导、伏立康唑维持治疗后头痛、咳嗽等症状消失,影像学检查示肺部病灶吸收.治疗过程中未发生急性排斥.结论 肾移植术后隐球菌性脑膜炎并发肺炎患者的临床表现缺乏特异性,脑脊液墨汁染色和隐球菌抗原乳胶凝集试验是诊断的主要手段.及时诊断和有效抗真菌治疗可改善患者的预后.治疗过程中免疫抑制药物需作相应调整.     

Cryptococcal lymphadenitis in a dog.

We describe a case of canine crytococcosis, the clinical symptoms were: feverish syndrome, vomiting and diarrhoeas and bilateral lymphadenitis in superficial lymph nodes. Microbiology and histopathology study of popliteal lymph node biopsy demonstrated the presence of round yeasts of some 3 microm of diameter, which we identified as Cryptococcus neoformans. Thirty months after suspending the medication the dog returned to the surgery; the dog was very thin and it had nervous symptoms; the owners decided it upon euthanasia. After carrying out the necropsy we take samples for their microbiology and histopathology study, both techniques detect to C. neoformans in marrow, CNS tissue and lymph nodes.