Fungal Meningitis Types Symptoms and Treatment Everyday Health
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People with weakened immune systems Doctors don’t know exactly why African-Americans and Filipinos are particularly at risk. What is known is that in California, valley fever rates have been steadily on the rise since 1998. (9) Experts suspect that the increased rate may be due to wetter wet seasons and the dry spells that follow, as well increased construction that’s literally kicking up dust. (10) There’s no foolproof way to protect against this fungus. But you can try to reduce your exposure by: (11)
Avoiding known areas in which the fungi may liveWearing N95 respirator masksClosing house and car windowsUsing recirculating air conditioners These steps are especially important for people who have weakened immune systems.
Fungal Meningitis Types Symptoms and Treatment
By Joseph Bennington-CastroMedically Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MDReviewed: April 4, 2018Medically ReviewedFungal meningitis, though rare, is usually contracted by inhaling fungal spores living in soil.ThinkstockThough bacteria and viruses are often thought of as the causes of infections and illnesses, other microbes, such as fungi, can also cause disease. Fungal infections can spread through the blood to the central nervous system, which is made up of the spinal cord and brain. When this occurs, it may cause fungal meningitis, which is an inflammation of the protective membrane surrounding the central nervous system. Although it can be very serious, fungal meningitis is also very rare, and it is not contagious. But like bacterial meningitis, it can cause outbreaks, such as the highly-publicized one that occurred in 2012, when steroid injections contaminated with the fungus Exserohilum rostratum resulted in more than 50 deaths and approximately 700 illnesses across the country. (1,2)What Causes Fungal Meningitis
The following fungi are the most common causes of fungal meningitis:Cryptococcus neoformansHistoplasmaCoccidioidesBlastomyces The overall prevalence of the disease is unclear, but certain forms are somewhat common among high-risk populations. Groups most at risk for fungal meningitis include:NewbornsIndividuals with weakened immune systems through diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and HIV or AIDSIndividuals on long courses of antibioticsIndividuals taking certain steroids, chemotherapy drugs, or rheumatoid arthritis medicationPatients with shunts or intravascular cathetersRecent organ or bone marrow transplant recipients There has also been some research linking fungal meningitis from Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans to intravenous drug use, particularly in those with weakened immune systems. (3,4)Can You Get Meningitis From Candida
Yes. Candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infections, can also cause meningitis, generally in premature babies with very low birth weights. The fungus is usually acquired in hospital settings and is most often the result of infections caused by shunts used during neurosurgery (particularly in infants). C. neoformans and C. albicans are the most common causes of fungal meningitis.What Is Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungus that is often present in pigeon droppings. It can live not just in soil, but wherever there are large numbers of pigeons: on streets, in parks, and on buildings. You can become infected with the fungus if you inhale particles contaminated with the droppings, whether they’ve settled in soil or elsewhere. But only in very rare cases will someone with a healthy immune system develop cryptococcal meningitis, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (5)Related Conditions10 Facts About HIV AIDS Everyone Should Know
Individuals with compromised immune systems, especially those living with HIV or AIDS in developing countries, are most at risk. According to a study published in May 2017 in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, the fungus causes an estimated 220,000 cases of cryptococcal meningitis among people with HIV or AIDS worldwide each year. (6) But in the United States and other developed countries, says the CDC, the numbers of fungal infections and deaths among individuals with advanced forms of HIV or AIDS have significantly decreased, since HIV diagnosis and treatment helps prevent HIV from progressing to the point where the immune system is dangerously compromised. (5)What Is Histoplasma Meningitis
Histoplasma is a fungus that lives in the environment, usually in soil that has high concentrations of bird or bat droppings. Chicken coops, caves, parks and barns are breeding grounds. In the United States, Histoplasma is predominately found in central and eastern regions, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. So states occupying those areas (including Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee) have the highest rates of histoplasmosis. Histoplasma is harmless in people with normal immune systems, according to the Meningitis Research Foundation. (7) But again, in those with compromised immune systems, the fungus can cause histoplasmosis, which, as happens with Cryptococcus neoformans infection, starts off as a lung infection but can sometimes turn into meningitis.What Is Coccidioidal Meningitis
Coccidioides is a fungus that can get into the body and cause meningitis when its spores are inhaled after the spores’ environment is disturbed. Coccidioides is found in arid soil in the Southwestern United States and parts of Central and South America; it’s carried by wind and dust. The fungus can cause an infection known as valley fever, which affects the lungs and causes flu-like symptoms. Similar to other fungal infections, it starts as a respiratory infection. This infection can occasionally lead to meningitis. Certain people have a higher risk of getting a Coccidioides infection, including:African-AmericansFilipinosPregnant women, especially those in their third trimester (8)People with weakened immune systems Doctors don’t know exactly why African-Americans and Filipinos are particularly at risk. What is known is that in California, valley fever rates have been steadily on the rise since 1998. (9) Experts suspect that the increased rate may be due to wetter wet seasons and the dry spells that follow, as well increased construction that’s literally kicking up dust. (10) There’s no foolproof way to protect against this fungus. But you can try to reduce your exposure by: (11)
Avoiding known areas in which the fungi may liveWearing N95 respirator masksClosing house and car windowsUsing recirculating air conditioners These steps are especially important for people who have weakened immune systems.