Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : June 14, 2022 4:01 PM IST
Do not ignore a prolonged fever, especially if it is accompanied by severe headaches. These could be symptoms of cryptococcosis, a rare fungal infection of the brain that most commonly affects patients with weak immunity.
Recently an 18-year-old girl D Latha (name changed for confidentiality purpose) was admitted to Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central with complaints of fever and breathlessness. She had a history of fever for 4 months along with headaches. Initially, she was treated at a private hospital in Raigad for suspected tuberculosis. At first, she showed improvement but later her oxygen levels started dropping and then she was rushed to the Wockhardt Hospitals, where the doctors diagnosed her condition to be caused by cryptococcus.
Cryptococcus is an invasive fungus, transmitted through the inhalation of spores. It causes cryptococcosis, an infection commonly associated with immunosuppressive individuals. Patients present with fever, headache, malaise, photophobia, and neck stiffness as cryptococcal meningitis sets in.
Talking about the treatment, Dr. Makhija, Consultant Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, mentioned the 18-year-old teen from Raigad who fought Brain-Cryptococcus.
"At the time of arrival at Wockhardt Hospitals, she needed urgent ventilator support in view of severe breathing difficulty. She also complained of severe headaches and visual impairment; she had weakness involving all four limbs and was hardly able to move them. As part of her evaluation, she underwent MRI-BRAIN, CSF studies (investigation of brain fluid) and nerve conduction studies. Her investigations revealed rare fungal infection of the brain - cryptococcus which is otherwise seen in patients with weak immunity, in addition she had rare type of nerve weakness- Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS) - a rare condition in which a person's immune system attacks the peripheral nerves," said Dr. Makhija.
As she also had a history of recurrent joint pains, Rheumatologist's opinion was taken who diagnosed her to have SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus).
"She remained in hospital for nearly two months during which she received IV immunoglobulins for nerve and immune dysfunction and antifungal therapy for her fungal infection. Eventually after a long battle with multiple illnesses she made a miraculous recovery; she was weaned off the ventilator, regained power in her limbs and is now fully independent and has also started preparing for her exams for which she could not appear," Dr. Makhija stated.
