Fatal meningitis by Cryptococcus laurentii in a post‑partum woman: A manifestation of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

ABSTRACT

Cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompetent post‑partum women has been rarely reported. Immune restoration during post‑partum period leads to unmasking of many opportunistic infections that may have been acquired during pregnancy but manifest itself in the post‑partum period due to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This case highlights the importance of considering opportunistic pathogens in immunocompetent patients who may be undergoing immune restoration. We report here a fatal case of post‑partum immunocompetent women who presented with clinical features of meningitis. Prognosis of the cryptococcal meningitis not only depends on the immune status of the patient but also on how early the disease is diagnosed in the course of illness.