Neurosurgery notes/Infection/Cranial infection/Fungal infections

Fungal infections

View Details
logo
Parent item
Cranial infection
Sub-item
Histoplasmosis
Blastomycosis
Cryptococcosis
Coccidiomycosis
Candidiasis
Aspergillosis
Mucormycosis
  • General
    • Tend to present either with chronic meningitis or brain abscess.
    • Result from hematologic spread from the lungs.
    • Cause basilar meningitis (with cranial neuropathies, hydrocephalus, and arteritis causing strokes) or abscesses with granulomas.
    • Test
      • CSF reveals increased lymphocytes and decreased glucose.
      • All fungi stain with methenamine silver.
    • The true pathogens are Histoplasma , Blastomyces , and Coccidiomycoses
      • All others only infect the immunosuppressed
    • Most are medically treated conditions that do not require neurosurgical intervention.
    • Fungal otitis exerna is usually caused by
      • Aspergillus (black exudate),
        • Although Aspergillus is the most common cause of fungal abscesses, it is a relatively uncommon cause of fungal meningitis or meningoencephalitis.
      • Followed by
        • Candida (cheesy white exudate)
        • Actinomyces.