A 61-year-old female patient in Lang Son suffered from meningitis caused by Cryptococcus fungus, although she had no prior history of immunodeficiency. This is a dangerous disease, easily confused with common diseases and has a high risk of death if detected late.
The patient is Ms. N.T. P. (61 years old, residing in Lang Son), working in agriculture, living near an area growing many eucalyptus trees. According to doctors, this may be one of the notable epidemiological factors related to the risk of exposure to fungi in the environment.
About 10 days before being hospitalized, the patient developed severe headache, dizziness, nausea and high fever in episodes. Initially, she was treated at a lower-level medical facility with a diagnosis of vestibular disorder. However, after many days of treatment, the condition did not improve.
By the 6th day, after being punctured with cerebrospinal fluid, doctors discovered Cryptococcus fungus in the brain. The patient was immediately transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases to continue intensive treatment.
Dr. Do Thi Tien, Department of Virus - Parasitology, said that when admitted to the hospital, the patient had a high fever of 39 degrees Celsius, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure... The results of cerebrospinal fluid tests confirmed positive for Cryptococcus fungus, and at the same time, cerebrospinal fluid pressure increased.
Notably, the patient is at risk of complications of semi-occlusion of the ventricular drain tube, which can cause cerebral edema and compression of brain parenchyma. Therefore, doctors are forced to puncture the cerebrospinal fluid to reduce intracranial pressure. Initially, the prognosis of the disease was assessed as severe.
After 1 week of treatment with antifungal drugs, the patient's health showed signs of improvement. The patient reduced headaches, vomiting, fever, the number of inflammatory cells in cerebrospinal fluid decreased by about half, and inflammatory indicators also decreased significantly. However, according to doctors, patients still need to continue prolonged treatment, closely monitor the side effects of the drug as well as the risk of recurrence and severe progression.
According to BSCKII Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of Virus - Parasitology Department, meningitis caused by Cryptococcus fungus is a dangerous infection when the fungus invades the central nervous system. The common agent is Cryptococcus neoformans, which exists in bird droppings, soil dust and some rotten plants such as eucalyptus.
Fungus mainly enters through the respiratory tract, then can spread to the brain, causing severe headaches, vomiting, stiff neck, consciousness disorders, even paralysis or coma. The disease is common in people with immune deficiency but can also occur in healthy people, especially those who are frequently exposed to soil, dust, bird droppings or live near eucalyptus growing areas.
From this case, doctors recommend that people need to clean their living environment, limit contact with high-risk areas and go for an early check-up when they have prolonged headaches, fever of unknown cause. Symptoms of the disease are easily confused with flu or vestibular disorders, so they should not self-treat at home.
