2024-01-11 12:20:57
Updated Thursday, January 11, 2024 – 11:20
Patricia Pérez and her husband, Luis Canut, in an archive image.MITXIMicrobiology ‘Superfungi’: a silent threat
The television presenter Patricia Perez She recently shared that her husband Luis Canut has been suffering from a health problem for almost a year that they have been slow to diagnose. It is a cryptococcal meningitis
What is cryptococcal meningitis?
The cryptococcal meningitis It is a fungal infection of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord, which are called meninges.
What are the causes?
In most cases, cryptococcal meningitis is caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, which has a worldwide distribution. The fungus Cryptococcus gattii can also cause the disease. The infection begins after inhalation of dust from soil contaminated with bird droppings in which the microorganism is present. Mainly affectspatients with immunosuppression, although in recent years an increase in cases has been observed in people with a normally functioning immune system. The microorganism is acquired by inhalation of spores and spreads after a period of latency.
What are your symptoms?
This form of meningitis appears slowly, over a period of a few days to a few weeks. Symptoms may include fever, headache, hallucinations, confusion, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, or a stiff neck.
How is it treated?
This form of meningitis is treated with antifungal medications. Intravenous therapy with amphotericin B is the most common treatment. It is often combined with an oral antifungal medication called 5-flucytosine. There is another oral drug, fluconazole, which taken in high doses can also be effective. It is indicated, if necessary, later in the course of the disease.
What are the possible complications?
This type of infection can bring complications such as brain damage; loss of hearing or vision, hydrocephalus, seizures, or, in some cases, death.
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