Fulminating meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans

Meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans, a rare and mostly fatal disease, is the most common fungal infection of the central nervous system. During the past 29 years only 15 such cases were reported in Israel. The case of a 66-year-old patient who died of fulminating cryptococcal meningitis in spite of massive doses of amphotericin B is described. These cases should be screened for increased intracranial pressure, since early decompressive shunts improve the chances of survival.