Cryptococcus tetragattii Meningitis Associated with Travel, Taiwan

Abstract

Meningitis caused by Cryptococcus tetragattii fungus is rare and has been found in specific geographic regions. We report a case of meningitis caused by C. tetragattii (molecular type VGIV) in an immunocompetent patient in Taiwan. The patient had traveled to Egypt and was positive for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibody.

From Mendel to mycoses: Immuno‐genomic warfare at the human–fungus interface

“…215,216 That aab:GM-CSF predispose to CNS and other forms of disseminated cryptococcosis, and less frequently to exclusive pulmonary disease, in individuals without a known congenital or acquired immunodeficiency has been confirmed by numerous groups globally. [217][218][219][220][221][222][223][224][225] While aab:GM-CSF have been overwhelmingly associated with C. gattii, they may also underlie disease due to C. neoformans. [226][227][228][229][230][231][232] Notably, aab:GM-CSF can predispose to infection in the absence or predating the development of PAP 215,228 ; thus, the absence of PAP does not exclude the possibility of aab:GM-CSF as a cause of fungal susceptibility.…”

“…Illustrating the principal that severe fungal disease is not fundamentally congruent with an “immunocompetent” state, further immunological investigations were pursued, revealing aab:GM‐CSF in HIV‐uninfected individuals in such patients 215,216 . That aab:GM‐CSF predispose to CNS and other forms of disseminated cryptococcosis, and less frequently to exclusive pulmonary disease, in individuals without a known congenital or acquired immunodeficiency has been confirmed by numerous groups globally 217–225 . While aab:GM‐CSF have been overwhelmingly associated with C. gattii , they may also underlie disease due to C. neoformans 226–232 .…”