Fungal meningitis is one of the three forms of meningitis that affects humans. As with other forms of meningitis, viral and bacterial, fungal meningitis results when the meninges, the protective lining around the brain, swells up. While fungal meningitis is extremely rare, it’s a serious condition that can result in death or permanent brain damage if you don’t receive proper treatment.
Fungal meningitis stems from infectious germs infiltrating the spinal cord or parts of the brain and infecting the surrounding fluid. While several germs and fungi can lead to fungal meningitis, it’s most commonly found in people who have HIV and/or who have weak immune systems.
Fungal meningitis will result in many of the same signs and symptoms as other types of meningitis. Because of how dangerous fungal meningitis is, it’s important to seek medical assistance at the first sign of illness.
Unlike viral and bacterial meningitis, fungal meningitis is a slowly progressing condition that won’t go away naturally. As such, you might not notice your symptoms as soon as you would with other forms of meningitis. Instead, fungal meningitis symptoms will start and progress slowly and won’t go away on their own.
There are several fungi, germs, and viruses that can lead to the development of fungal meningitis. Regardless of the root cause, however, fungal meningitis always happens when a fungal infection spreads to your brain or spinal cord. Here are some of the most common causes of fungal meningitis.
Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of fungal meningitis in South Africa. You can find this fungus in most environments around the world, including in moist South African soil.
Histoplasma leading to fungal meningitis is more common in Uganda, Zaire, and Nigeria, but it’s also found in South Africa.
Although possible, Blastomyces are very rare in South Africa and are rarely the cause of fungal meningitis.
In addition to these, several other fungi in South Africa can cause an infection leading to fungal meningitis. While anyone can develop this condition, certain risk factors put you more at risk of having an infection turn into fungal meningitis.
Because of how rare fungal meningitis is, it typically isn’t the first condition that your doctor will suspect. Therefore, they likely won’t diagnose fungal meningitis based on symptoms alone. If they suspect you have the condition, they will order the following diagnostic tests.
They will then send these samples to a laboratory for testing to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of fungal meningitis.
Treating fungal meningitis will depend on determining which fungus is responsible for causing your infection. Luckily, the lab will be able to determine the underlying cause when they examine your blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. While your exact treatment will depend on the severity of your condition and the underlying cause, it typically involves the following.
Fungal meningitis can be deadly if you don’t catch it in time and start treatment. The length of your treatment will depend on your physical condition and the type of fungus that caused the infection. Treatment can be as short as several days, or it can last for months or years.