Oh. Gyaurgieva et al., MENINGITIS CAUSED BY RHODOTORULA-RUBRA IN AN HIV-INFECTED PATIENT, Journal of medical and veterinary mycology, 34(5), 1996, pp. 357-359
Meningitis caused by Rhodotorula spp. in HIV-infected patients has not
been reported previously. We present a brief review of the literature
regarding medically important species of Rhodotorula and a case of me
ningitis caused by Rhodotorula rubra in an HIV-infected patient. The d
iagnosis was confirmed by the isolation of the fungus from the CSF. Th
e course of Rhodotorula-induced meningitis was characterized by gradua
l development over several months, severe headache and high body tempe
rature. No signs of damage to the meninx or inflammatory changes were
observed. Therapy with 5-fluorocytosine for 15 days was successful in
eliminating the yeast from the CSF. Eight months later the meningitis
relapsed with R. rubra being recovered from the CSF. Suppressive thera
py with itraconazole (400 mg daily during 3 months) followed by mainte
nance therapy (200 mg daily) eradicated the infection.