title: Cryptococcal meningitis: description of 3 cases and estimation of T-cell subsets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe three cases of cryptococcus neoformans meningitis and evaluate their cellular immunity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved three cases of cryptococcus neoformans meningitis admitted to Children's Hospital of Shanxi Province between July 2010 and July 2011. Clinical presentations, laboratory findings, treatment and outcome in these cases has been discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Staining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with India ink showed Cryptococcus neoformans. Flow cytometric analysis of T-cell subsets revealed that their cellular immunity were depressed, which mainly embodies decline in CD4+ levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors speculate that decreased CD4+ T lymphocyte counts are attributed to cryptococcal infection, emphasizing the significance and importance of evaluating cellular immunity in patients who present with unusual infections. Early diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis and appropriate antifungal therapy are essential to achieve a better outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, 030001, China, zhulei1059@163.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jinli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets