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| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2008 | Volume
: 54
| Issue : 3 | Page : 203-205 |
Fungal encephalitis following bone marrow transplantation: Clinical findings and prognosis
HAG Teive1, ALM Carsten1, FM Iwamoto1, SM Almeida1, RP Munhoz1, LC Werneck1, CR Medeiros2, R Pasquini2
1 Neurology Service, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Pr, Brazil
2 Bone Marrow Transplantation Service, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Pr, Brazil
Correspondence Address:
HAG Teive
Neurology Service, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Pr
Brazil
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0022-3859.41802
Background: Central nervous system fungal infections (FI) are important complications and a cause of mortality in patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Aims: To study the clinical aspects of fungal encephalitis (FE). Settings and Design: The study was carried out at the HSCT Center of the Hospital de Clνnicas, Federal University of Paranα, Curitiba, Brazil. Materials and Methods: Clinical records and autopsy reports from patients submitted to HSCT with a diagnosis of FE. Results: Twelve patients were diagnosed with FE presenting with lowered level of consciousness, hemiparesis and seizures. We were able to identify two subgroups regarding susceptibility to FE: (1) patients with early onset FI and severe leucopoenia, and (2) patients with later onset FI with graft-versus-host disease using immunosuppressive drugs. Eleven of the patients died directly due to the neurological complication, all had post-mortem confirmation of the diagnosis of FI. Conclusions: These clinical, paraclinical and temporal patterns may provide the opportunity for earlier diagnosis and interventions.
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