Current aspects of neuromeningeal cryptococcosis in adults infected with HIV in the internal medicine service of the University Hospital of Treichville Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire)

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of neuromeningeal cryptococcosis (NMC) and reporting sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical aspects and outcome of patients. Methods: It was a retrospective study concerning 22 HIV positive patients hospitalized between 2006 to and 2009 in the internal medicine service of University Hospital of Treichville for NMC. Results: The prevalence of NMC in patients infected with HIV was 0.6%. The mean age was 35 ± 4.5 years old. The sex-ratio was 0.5. The average time evolution of the symptomatology was 10 ± 2.1 days. The installation of the disease was progressive (86.4%). The main signs were fever (100%) and headache (95.4%). The cerebrospinal fluid was inflammatory aspect (95.4%) with low glucose (91%), hyper lymphocytosis(100%). There were Cryptococcus neoformans in direct exam by China ink (72.7%) and culture on Sabouraud (100%). Treatment was injectable amphoterin B in monotherapy (54.5%) followed by fluconazole per os (45.5%). The mortality was 54.5%. Conclusion: This study shows a reduction of NMC prevalence in our service in relation with tritherapy. © 2011.