Fungal Meningitis

Fungal Meningitis :

The fungal infection in the brain is called fungal .meningitis. There are many types of fungus like Cryptococcus, Coccidosis, Candida, Aspergillus, Histoplasma etc. The C.S.F. report is similar to that of tubercular meningitis, but on close microscopic examination fungus is found. (e.g. India Ink Preparation in Cryptococcus). This disease starts with low grade fever, headache, weakness, anxiety and therefore, initially it is not diagnosed and the disease advances in the absence of proper treatment leading to unconsciousness and seizures etc.

Usually, fungal diseases occur in patients whose immunity is low, like in cases of cancer, lymphoma, AIDS, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, excessive intake of antibioticmedicines, herpes, chemotherapy for cancer, uncontrolled diabetes, the fungus starts spreading in the body, including brain, very fast.

Sometimes the patient may go to the hospital for the treatment of some other disease and may end up infecting himself with TB, fungus or other pyogenic diseases. This is a major draw-back of the modern medical system.

For fungus, drugs like amphotericin, flucytosine, sparnox etc. are used. These medicines have severe side effects on the kidney, liver, ears etc and thus should be administered carefully.