Immune dysfunction in HIV-seronegative, Cryptococcus gattii meningitis

J Infect. 2007 Mar;54(3):e165-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2006.10.002. Epub 2006 Nov 15.

Abstract

The pathophysiology of meningitis caused by Cryptococcus gattii in apparently immunocompetent individuals remains unclear. We measured multiple cytokines in CSF from a HIV-seronegative, apparently immunocompetent, Thai patient with C. gattii meningitis, over the first 2 weeks of antifungal therapy. Levels of proinflammatory IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 were very low compared to patients with HIV-related Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis and of IL-10 very high. While patients with C. gattii meningitis may be a heterogeneous group, these data suggest in this case a maladapted immune response to cryptococcal exposure had allowed progression to clinical cryptococcal disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / immunology
  • Cryptococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Cytokines / analysis*
  • HIV Seronegativity
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Meningitis / drug therapy
  • Meningitis / immunology*
  • Meningitis / microbiology*
  • Meningitis, Cryptococcal / drug therapy
  • Meningitis, Cryptococcal / immunology*
  • Meningitis, Cryptococcal / microbiology*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Cytokines