Cryptococcus gattii in an Immunocompetent Patient in the Southeastern United States. (27th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amburgy, John W.; Miller, Joseph H.; Ditty, Benjamin J.; Vande Lune, Patrick; Muhammad, Shaaf; Fisher, Winfield S.
• Other Names: Di Carlo Paola Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in infectious diseases. Volume 2016(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-11-27
• Subjects: Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Case studies -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases; Infectious Disease Medicine; Communicable diseases; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Case studies; Periodicals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/8280915
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-6625

Abstract

Abstract : Cryptococcal infections are seen throughout the United States in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. The most common form is C. neoformans . In the Northwestern United States, C. gattii has received considerable attention secondary to increased virulence resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. There are no cases in the extant literature describing a patient with C. gattii requiring neurosurgical intervention in Alabama. A middle-aged immunocompetent male with no recent travel or identifiable exposure presented with meningitis secondary to C. gattii . The patient underwent 12 lumbar punctures and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and required 83 days of inpatient therapy with 5-flucytosine and amphotericin B. The patient was found to have multiple intracranial lesions and a large intramedullary spinal cryptococcoma within his conus. Following an almost 3-month hospitalization the patient required treatment with oral voriconazole for one year. In the United States meningitis caused by C. gattii infection is not isolated to the Northwestern region.