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Sudden blindness due to bilateral optic neuropathy associated with cryptococcal meningitis in an AIDS patient
Marcelo Corti1, Rubén Solari, Diana Cangelosi
1Division of AIDS, Infectious Diseases F. J. Muñiz Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina. marcelocorti@fibertel.com.ar
Background:
Cryptococcosis is one of the most frequent and severe AIDS defining illnesses.
Aims:
We present a patient with advanced HIV/AIDS disease and a diffuse meningoencephalitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans. The patient developed an acute and bilateral blindness associated with high cerebrospinal fluid pressure and optic neuropathy.
Methods:
Post-mortem anatomopathologic study revealed a high number of Cryptococcus in the central nervous system, including the optic nerves and the optic chiasm.
Conclusion:
The patient's sudden visual loss appeared to be related to the perineuritic arachnoiditis and the massive invasion of the optic nerves by the fungus.
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