Cryptococcal meningitis with malaria. A case report

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J O Ashiru1, E E Akang

  • 1Department of Pathology & Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of West Indies, Trinidad.

Mycopathologia
|July 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Fatal cryptococcal meningitis with malaria coinfection is rare in Nigerian children. This case highlights the need for combined fungal, bacterial, and malaria testing in meningitis diagnosis across Africa.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Cryptococcal meningitis, a systemic fungal infection, is uncommon globally and often linked to immunodeficiency.
  • In Nigeria, common meningitis causes in young children include malaria parasites and bacteria.
  • Concomitant infections with Cryptococcus neoformans and Plasmodium falciparum are infrequent.

Observation:

  • A fatal case of cryptococcal meningitis co-occurring with malaria infection in a 2-year-old child from Nigeria is reported.
  • The patient was from a malaria-endemic region, underscoring the potential for coinfections.

Findings:

  • The case demonstrates a rare coinfection of fungal meningitis and malaria in a pediatric patient.
  • Diagnostic challenges in differentiating or identifying coinfecting pathogens are implied.

Implications:

  • Emphasizes the critical need for combined fungal, bacterial, and malaria parasite testing in meningitis cases in African hospitals.
  • Recommends culturing cerebrospinal fluid with Sabouraud dextrose agar and examining growth with Indian ink for accurate etiological determination.

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