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Cryptococcal Meningitis

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Cryptococcal meningitis (krip-tuh-KOK-uhl men-uhn-JYT-uhs) is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. The fungus that causes this infection is found in soil. The risk is highest when CD4 cell counts are below 100. You can get it by breathing in dust. Symptoms include headache, nausea, fever, fatigue, irritability, sensitivity to light, stiff neck, change in mental state, and hallucinations. This is a serious infection that can be deadly, so get treatment right away. It is treated with drugs to kill the fungus. Some drugs used to treat it can hurt your kidneys. So, it's best to get treatment early, when there's a chance to use drugs that are less toxic. Even after treatment, the fungus can come back. You might need to take drugs all the time to prevent it from coming back.

Additional Resources:

Publications

1. Cryptococcal Meningitis (Copyright © Project Inform) — This publication explains how cryptococcal meningitis affects people with HIV/AIDS. It discusses the symptoms, treatments, prevention and possible complications.

   http://www.projectinform.org/info/cryptom/index.shtml

2. Cryptococcal Meningitis (Copyright © AIDS InfoNet) — This fact sheet for people with HIV explains what cryptococcal meningitis is and how it is treated.

   http://www.aidsinfonet.org/fact_sheets/view/503?lang=eng

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Content last updated March 4, 2009.