[Meningomyeloradiculitis in an immunocompetent patient].
BACKGROUND
Candida infection limited to the central nervous system is extremely rare, and may be confused with tuberculosis on the grounds of the clinical and cerebrospinal fluid findings.


METHODS
A 23-year-old immunocompetent drug addict presented with alternating sciatica over a period of several months, followed by multiple cranial nerve involvement in the setting of marked weight loss. The histopathologic examination of a leptomeningeal neurosurgical biopsy was required to establish the diagnosis of neuromeningeal infection with Candida albicans.


CONCLUSIONS
This case report underlines diagnostic difficulties of candidal meningitis and reviews current therapeutic recommendations.
Carra Dalliere
C
C
Service de neurologie, hôpital Gui-de-Chauliac, CHU de Montpellier, 80 avenue Augustin-Flîche, Montpellier cedex 5, France. clarisse.dalliere@wanadoo.fr
Thouvenot
E
E
Baptista
G
G
Le Moing
V
V
Charif
M
M
D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D001706:Biopsy; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016921:Meningitis, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012907:Smoking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult