title: Fluconazole treatment of Blastoschizomyces capitatus meningitis in an allogeneic bone marrow recipient.
abstract: The first known case of Blastoschizomyces capitatus meningitis occurring in an allogeneic bone marrow recipient on steroid and cyclosporine therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease is reported. An 11-month course of treatment with oral fluconazole resulted in resolution of the meningeal syndrome and eradication of Blastoschizomyces capitatus from the cerebrospinal fluid. Three months after discontinuation of fluconazole the patient died due to idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and bilateral pneumothorax, without clinical signs of meningitis. Post mortem examination showed meningeal fungus invasion consistent with Blastoschizomyces capitatus infection. Oral fluconazole treatment thus did not eradicate the fungal infection, but achieved significant control of the meningitis on an outpatient basis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biopathology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girmenia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Micozzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Iori
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastianello
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016921:Meningitis, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications; D014250:Trichosporon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D015725:Fluconazole