Meningitis secondary to Cryptococcus gattii, an emerging pathogen affecting immunocompetent hosts

BACKGROUND: Meningitis continues to be one of the most important infections diagnosed and treated by emergency physicians. Despite the advent of anti-infective therapy, meningitis carries a mortality rate of 20%-40%. In this study, we describe the first reported emergency medicine case of meningitis associated with Cryptococcus gattii to alert providers of this insidious, emerging global pathogen infecting immunocompetent individuals. METHODS: We provided a case report and accompanying review of the literature. A MEDLINE search for the term Cryptoccocus gattii was performed to obtain background information on Cryptococcus gattii. RESULTS: After two months of hospitalization, the patient was eventually discharged neurologically intact except for a continued mild bilateral hearing deficit. CONCLUSION: Cryptococcus gattii is an emerging world pathogen, which affects otherwise healthy, immunocompetent patients and requires timely identification and treatment in order to prevent severe neurological sequelae.