Cryptococcal meningitis is a central nervous system infection cause by Cryptococcus neoformans. Although Cryptococcus is found in bird droppings, it has never been reported for those ranchers involved in the niche swiftlet ranching industry despite having close proximity with the bird droppings. We present here a case of a 41-year-old healthy swiftlet rancher who presents with a history of prolonged fever, headache and altered behaviour of a month duration. Cerebral spinal fluid analysis revealed the presence of Cryptococcus. He was treated with intravenous amphotericin B and flucytosine and discharged well with fluconazole consolidation therapy for 8 weeks, followed by maintenance therapy for 1 year. We believe this is the first reported case of Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) occurring in an immunocompetent swiftlet rancher. This case should highlight the needs to wear a proper personal protective equipment inside a swiftlet ranch due to the constant exposure to the potential cryptococcal-rich environment. A high index of suspicion, careful history taking and physical examination focusing on neurologic assessment is key to early diagnosis and timely management of CM.
Cryptococcus meningitis

Typing of cryptococcal varieties and antifungal susceptibility testing were performed on two strains which were isolated from a nonimmunosuppressed host with cryptococcal meningitis and another from a patient with systemic cryptococcosis with underlying liver cirrhosis. Both varieties of clinical isolates were identified by the use of the glycin-cycloheximide-bromothymol blue agar medium as Cryptococcus neoformans variety neoformans. For the two isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of amphotericin B were 0.25 g/mL and the MICs of fluconazole were 8 g/mL.
Agar ; Amphotericin B ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Fluconazole ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal

Aantifungal agents were tested against 30 clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans using the NCCLS method (M27-A2). Posaconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B had lower MIC than the remaining four antifungal agents. The MIC result for posaconazole was over 220-fold lower active than fluconazole. Fluconazole MICs for most isolates fell within the dose-dependant range. The overall MIC ranges and MIC50s were amphotericin B (0.03-0.25; 0.25), fluconazole (0.5-64; 16), itraconazole (0.015-1; 0.125), terbinafine (0.06->2; 1), caspofungin (8-32; 32), voriconazole (0.015-0.5; 0.25), and posaconazole (0.015-0.25; 0.06 microg/ml), respectively. In conclusion, the MIC50s of these drugs did not exhibit any sign of an upward shift with the exception of fluconazole and tendency cross-resistance between the seven drugs was not observed. We conclude that in vitro resistance to antifungal agents has not significantly changed despite the recent wide-spread use of triazoles for long-term treatment of Cryptococcal meningitis.
Amphotericin B* ; Antifungal Agents ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Fluconazole* ; Itraconazole* ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; Triazoles

Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast-like organism causing opportunistic infection in the immunocompromized host. Men-ingitis is the most frequent manifestation and causes serious morbidity and mortality. Other sites are less commonly involved. There have been a few cases presenting hearing loss and vertigo as a result of the extension of meningitis through the internal auditory canal. Authors report a case of cryptococcal infection combined with cholesteatoma that developed in a 54-year-old woman who did not have either evidence of immunocompromised state or pathological signs of cryptococcal infection. Cryptococcus neoformans was incidentally found in the keratinized layer of cholesteatoma.
Cholesteatoma* ; Cryptococcus ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Opportunistic Infections ; Vertigo

A 73-year-old woman with long-term steroid medication for arthralgia, suffered a sudden decrement of mental status, bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia and ptosis. T2-weighted MR images revealed high signals in the midbrain and both thalami. In cerebrospinal fluid studies, a test for cryptococcal antigen was positive and Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured. Bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia and ptosis may develop in cryptococcal meningitis from ischemic complications.
Aged ; Arthralgia ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Female ; Humans ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal* ; Mesencephalon ; Ocular Motility Disorders*

Ocular complications of HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis are reasonably common, but complete binocular blindness as the first manifestation of HIV is extremely rare. A 58-year-old man presented with binocular blindness. He experienced blurred vision for 3 days before the blindness. Mild pleocytosis was present in the cerebrospinal fluid, from which Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured. Serology revealed positivity for HIV antibody. He was treated with antifungal and antiretroviral therapy. This case indicates that HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis should be taken into consideration when determining the cause of unexpected sudden binocular blindness.
Blindness* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; HIV ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal* ; Middle Aged ; Telescopes*

Cryptococcosis is a disseminated infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. It usually causes pulmonary infection and meningitis in immunocompromised patients. However, osteomyelitis due to C. neoformans is extremely rare. It is generally known that cryptococcal osteomyelitis is a complication of disseminated cryptococcosis, appearing in 5-10%. We experienced a case of cryptococcal osteomyelitis with paraspinal abscess in a liver transplant patient.
Abscess ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Liver ; Meningitis ; Osteomyelitis ; Transplants

Cryptococcosis is a disseminated infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. It usually causes pulmonary infection and meningitis in immunocompromised patients. However, osteomyelitis due to C. neoformans is extremely rare. It is generally known that cryptococcal osteomyelitis is a complication of disseminated cryptococcosis, appearing in 5-10%. We experienced a case of cryptococcal osteomyelitis with paraspinal abscess in a liver transplant patient.
Abscess ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Liver ; Meningitis ; Osteomyelitis ; Transplants

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion is the standard treatment for hydrocephalus; shunt-associated infection is the most common complication after surgery. However, fungal infections are unusual. We present a case of cryptococcal meningitis complicated by a brain abscess and an infected intra-abdominal pseudocyst that developed 14 weeks after VP shunt insertion to treat hydrocephalus in a 74-year-old patient. Cryptococcal central nervous system (CNS) infection has a high mortality rate; however, diagnosis is challenging. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment are required when a cryptococcal CNS infection is suspected in patients with VP shunts.
Aged ; Brain Abscess ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cryptococcus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; Mortality ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Cryptococcal meningitis has become the largest cause for the death of infectious diseases in the central nervous system infectious disease worldwide. Most patients with cryptococcal meningitis have AIDS, autoimmune diseases, hematologic malignancies, and some other relevant diseases. It is mainly caused by infection with
Antiphospholipid Syndrome/complications* ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Female ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Stroke