Candida tropicalis meningitis: a case report

SummaryA 54-year-old man presented with candida tropicalis meningitis after exploration of the mastoid. He responded well to the combined intravenous administration of amphotericin B and 5 fluorocytosine. But 5 fluorocytosine had to be withdrawn when the candida proved to be resistant to this antifungal agent. However, the patient made an uneventful recovery. This seems to be the first report of a candida tropicalis meningitis in an otherwise healthy adult patient in this country.Infection of the meninges with candida remains rare (Black, 1970). Most of them are caused by candida albicans in patients with some other underlying conditions or those on prolonged antibiotic, corticosteroid, cytotoxic, immunosuppresive therapies. The purpose of this brief communication is to draw attention to its occurrence in a healthy patient following exploration of the mastoid for chronic suppurative middle-ear disease.