Wb. Harley et al., MARKED POLYMORPHONUCLEAR PLEOCYTOSIS DUE TO BLASTOMYCOTIC MENINGITIS - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW, Clinical infectious diseases, 18(5), 1994, pp. 816-818
Meningitis is an unusual manifestation of infection caused by Blastomy
ces dermatitidis. We describe a patient who presented with fulminant b
lastomycotic meningitis. Examination of the lumbar CSF demonstrated >
5,000 polymorphonuclear leukocytes/mm(3). The diagnosis of B. dermatit
idis meningitis was initially suggested by cytologic examination of CS
F and confirmed by culture. Pleocytosis of this magnitude had not been
previously described in association with blastomycosis, although revi
ew of the published literature revealed that neutrophilic pleocytosis
is a common manifestation of blastomycotic meningitis and should sugge
st the diagnosis. This report broadens the clinical spectrum of blasto
mycotic meningitis and suggests that cytologic examination of CSF is a
useful way to establish this diagnosis.