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Meningitis - cryptococcal

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Definition:

Cryptococcal meningitis is an infection of the meninges (the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord), caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans .

Alternative Names:

Cryptococcal meningitis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cryptococcus neoformans is found in soil around the world. Cryptococcal meningitis most often affects people with compromised immune systems. Risk factors include AIDS , lymphoma (a type of cancer), and diabetes . It occurs in 5 out of 1 million people.

• Review Date: 9/6/2006
• Reviewed By: Hilary M. Babcock, M.D., Medical Director of Occupational Infection Control, Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's Hospitals; Instructor of Medicine, Infectious Disease Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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