The facts
- Fungal meningitis usually occurs in people whose immune systems have been affected by other disease e.g. HIV infection, or by drug therapy e.g. cancer treatment
- Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans are two causes of fungal meningitis
- Fungal meningitis is treated with long courses of high dose antifungal drugs, usually given intravenously in the hospital. The length of treatment depends on the patient’s immune system and the type of fungus that caused the infection
- Fungal meningitis is very rare in the UK
Symptoms of fungal meningitis
Fungal meningitis often develops slowly with vague symptoms such as tiredness and a persistent headache which can last for some time before the more specific symptoms of meningitis appear
How is fungal meningitis treated?
- Fungal meningitis is treated with long courses of high dose antifungal medications, usually given intravenously in the hospital
- The length of treatment depends on the patient’s immune system and the type of fungus that caused the infection
- For people with immune systems that do not function well because of other conditions, such as HIV infection, diabetes or cancer, treatment is often longer