CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS WITH SEVERE VISUAL AND HEARING-LOSS AND RADIOCULOPATHY IN A PATIENT WITHOUT IMMUNODEFICIENCY

Cryptococcosis is an important cause of lymphocytic meningitis, especi ally but not necessarily in immunocompromised patients. We present the case of a 23-year-old man with a severe and rapid course of a cryptoc occal meningoencephalitis, which led to visual and hearing loss, psych otic illness and radiculopathy. There was no evidence of immunodeficie ncy. Treatment with amphotericin B and flucytosine led to improvement of the symptoms but did not eradicate the micro-organisms from the cer ebrospinal fluid (CSF). Maintenance therapy with fluconazole was neces sary and led to improvement of the CSF pathology.