A Case Report of Cryptococcal Meningitis Infection in an immunodeficient Patient and an Overview of Cryptococcosis in Iran

Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection which caused by various Cryptococcus species. The majority of patients are immunodeficienct cases. Cryptococcosis is known as one of the four fatal infectious disease in patients suffering from AIDS. The current study presents a case of cryptococcal meningitis in patient with HIV, and also briefly reviews the cases of cryptococcosis in Iran over the past decades. In February 2017, a patient with fever, chills and headache was admitted to the Dr Masih Daneshvari hospital. The microscopic examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen, showed yeast cells, followed by serological and molecular tests which confirmed the diagnosis. The primary diagnosis was cryptococcal meningitis and patient was treated with amphotericin and fluconazole. Generally in countries with poor epidemiological information on cryptococcosis, which usually have restricted accurate diagnostic facilities in their laboratory centers, the true incidence of the disease cannot be assessed easily. Furthermore, regarding to importance of this disease, especially in immunocompromised individuals; early diagnosis and proper treatment of the patients have crucial roles in mortality rate reduction in infected patients.