Profile of cryptococcal meningitis in a tertiary care hospital from northern india

A reterospective observational study was conducted over a period of 11 years, on the patients suspected to be suffering from chronic meningitis to evaluate the clinical and laboratory manifestations of Cryptococcal meningitis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from these patients were processed by India Ink preparation / antigen detection by latex agglutination test / culture. Patient's demography and clinical profile of the disease were studied. A total of 139 (1.9%) patients were diagnosed with Cryptococcal meningitis. Positivity of microscopy, culture and latex agglutination test in CSF for the diagnosis of crytococcal meningitis was 48.2%, 73.4% and 100% respectively. Fever, headache, vomiting, altered sensorium and seizures were the frequent clinical presentations. Co-morbidities associated with the disease were - HIV, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, renal transplantation etc. Cryptococcal meningitis has been identified as one of the important AIDS defining illnesses in the present study. Early diagnosis of the disease and institution of antifungal therapy well in timemay alter the prognosis of these patients.