[A case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome associated with cryptococcemia and cryptococcal meningitis]

A case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) developed cryptococcosis which was successfully treated with amphotericin B (AMPH) and fluconazole (FLCZ) is reported. A 52-year-old man was admitted because of pyrexia and oral candidiasis. He had a history of multiple sexual exposures to persons at risk for AIDS in Thailand. On admission, serologic tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 were positive on both EIA and Western blot analysis for anti-HIV-1 antibody. Furthermore, test for cryptococcal antigen and fungal cultures from blood and cerebrospinal fluid revealed that he was suffering from cryptococcemia and cryptococcal meningitis. In spite of identification of Cryptococcus neoformans in his blood and cerebrospinal fluid, the finding of cerebrospinal fluid had a minimal inflammatory response with mild elevation of protein. He was initially treated with intravenous AMPH, 10 to 30 mg a day, for 7 weeks, and then was given oral FLCZ, 400 mg a day, for the suppressive therapy. His fever subsided three weeks after the start of AMPH therapy. He was eventually discharged 9 weeks after the start of therapy without any symptoms, and continued to receive oral FLCZ as an out-patient. Thus, attention should be paid to diagnosis and treatment for cryptococcal meningitis in AIDS patients.