CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS

Course overview

CRYPTOCOCCOSIS IS AN OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION THAT CAUSES MORE THAN 100,000 HIV-RELATED DEATHS EACH YEAR. ALTHOUGH THE INFECTION IS USUALLY HIV-RELATED, IT IS ALSO SEEN IN OTHER CONDITIONS, SUCH AS IN PATIENTS UNDER IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE TREATMENTS OR PATIENTS WITH ORGAN FAILURE SYNDROMES, ORGAN TRANSPLANTS, INNATE IMMUNOLOGIC PROBLEMS, COMMON VARIABLE IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME, AND HEMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE PATIENTS.