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.
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.
Authors: Anand Moodley; William Rae; Ahmed Bhigjee; Cathy Connolly; Natasha Devparsad; Andrew Michowicz; Thomas Harrison; Angela Loyse Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-12-21 Impact factor: 3.240