Inflammation of meninges results in a medical condition known as meningitis. Meninges is a thin membrane sheath which covers the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis can occur from bacteria, viruses, fungus and various other microorganisms. Fungal meningitis is rare, but when it occurs, the condition is life threatening.
Fungi are simple plants lacking chlorophyll that depend on other living or dead organisms and thus termed parasitic or saprophytic. Fungi are pathogenic or opportunistic. The former mainly affect the normal host and the later usually affect the immune compromised individuals. The high risk group includes people suffering from HIV, cancer, and patients taking immunosuppressive drugs.
Infection occurs following inhalation of windblown spores from the soil. Fungi spreads to central nervous system via bloodstream once it enters in the susceptible individual.
As mentioned earlier, the most common cause of fungal infection is suppressed immunity or weak immune system. People suffering from HIV, cancer, diabetes having low immunity, and patients taking chemotherapy or radiotherapy, where the immune system is suppressed are susceptible to suffer from fungal meningitis.
There are varieties of fungi responsible for this neurological disorder. Among them the most common are Cryptococcus neoformans, candida.
A normal healthy individual may often inhale these fungi from environment, but they rarely suffer from meningitis because their immune system is healthy and strong. Fungi survive and cause infection only when the immune system is depressed.
Fungal meningitis is not contagious. It is not transmitted from one person to another.
The symptoms of fungal meningitis resemble those of any other type of meningitis. However, the symptoms are gradual in onset as compared to bacterial or viral meningitis. Fungus is only detected after examining CSF in a laboratory. Here are some of the clinical features of fungal meningitis.
In severe cases, there may be loss of memory, co-ordination problem, change in behavior and convulsion.
Anti fungal medicines form the cornerstone of the treatment. Fungal meningitis requires to be treated with high doses and long course of anti fungal remedies. Patient suffering from fungal meningitis requires hospitalization. The time period for treating may depend on severity, and the immune status of the patient.
Patients suffering from cancer, HIV, organ transplant whose immunity is not strong may require long period of treatment. The average treatment may last at least for 6 weeks or until evidence of active symptoms of meningitis have disappeared. In immune compromised state, prolonged maintenance anti fungal therapy may be necessary. For cryptococci, the treatment is continued until four consecutive weekly cultures are sterile.
There is no specific activity which is suspected to cause fungal meningitis. The only way to prevent fungal meningitis, especially among people who are at risk is to avoid soil and environment which contain fungus. HIV and cancer patients should avoid visiting places of birds and bats droppings. Wearing a mask is essential for people who have recently undergone organ transplantation.
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