title: Cryptococcus and lymphocytic meningitis in Botswana.
abstract: We retrospectively reviewed microbiological data from a tertiary care hospital in Botswana, and found that Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured from 15% (193/1307) of all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens submitted for analysis, making it the most common diagnosed cause of meningitis in this population. Moreover, almost 70% of CSF samples with significant lymphocytosis did not yield a pathogen, suggesting that many causes of lymphocytic meningitis go undiagnosed.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. bisson@mail.med.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Bisson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lukes
authors.forename: Ramishwari
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mtoni
authors.forename: Rob Roy
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: MacGregor
mesh_terms: D001902:Botswana / Q000453:epidemiology; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies