[Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis in patients with AIDS at the Saint Thomas Hospital]

The authors studied the clinical histories of 17 patients with AIDS who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of Meningoencephalitis. Laboratory studies showed the causative agent to be Cryptococcus neoformans. All patients had fever and most had localized headache. Some patients had nausea and vomiting, nuchal rigidity and convulsions. One each had blurred vision, photophobia, periods of disorientation, ataxia, lumbar or cervical pain. Cell count, chemical analysis, India ink preparation and culture of the cerebrospinal fluid confirmed the diagnosis and the etiologic agent. Blood cultures were negative in the few patients on whom it was performed. The best results of therapy were obtained in the patients who received Amphotericin B and Fluocytosine (80%) in dosages of 0.3 to 1 mg/k/day and 150 mg/day respectively, for 21 days.