Steroid responsive late deterioration in Cryptococcus neoformans variety gattii meningitis

Abstract

The authors describe the clinical course of Cryptococcus neoformans variety gattii infection in a young immunocompetent man who had a late deterioration characterized by headaches, subarachnoid inflammation, hydrocephalus, and stroke that reproducibly responded to steroids. These findings, in combination with declining markers of CSF infection, are consistent with the late deterioration being caused by sterile arachnoiditis rather than ongoing infection.