Cryptococcal meningitis

Unlike bacterial meningitis, this form of meningitis comes on more slowly, over a few days to a few weeks. Symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Hallucinations
• Headache
• Mental status change
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
• Stiff neck

Physical examination will usually show:

• Fast heart rate
• Fever
• Mental status changes
• Stiff neck

For any patient who is suspected of having meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture ("spinal tap"), in which spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) is collected for testing.

Tests that may be done include:

• Blood culture
• Chest x-ray
• Cryptococcal antigen in CSF or blood
• CSF examination for cell count, glucose, and protein
• CT scan of the head
• Gram stain, other special stains, and culture of CSF

Images

Central nervous system

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Meningitis Treatment

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)