Hydrocephalus in coccidioidal meningitis: Case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Coccidioidomycosis was once confined to the southwest United States and northern Mexico. It has become a larger concern because of the concentration of military bases in these areas, the increasing mobility of populations, and the rising population of immunocompromised persons. Outside endemic areas, the diagnosis is rarely considered. Patients with coccidioidomycosis may develop occult basilar meningitis progressing to communicating hydrocephalus and death. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old white man presented with a 1-month history of vertigo, falls, and vomiting. Computed tomography of the head revealed mild hydrocephalus. Lumbar puncture results were remarkable for 1065 mg/dl protein; acid-fast bacillus stain, Gram's stain, and culture results were negative. Postgadolinium magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated enhancement of basilar and cervical meninges, suggesting inflammation, and communicating hydrocephalus. For 48 hours, the patient's level of consciousness decreased progressively. INTERVENTION: A ventriculoperitoneal shunt was placed, and antifungal agents were initiated on an emergent basis. CONCLUSION: Coccidioidomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of occult basilar meningitis. The diagnosis is established by the discovery of a high (>1:2) titer of complement-fixing antibody in the cerebrospinal fluid. Communicating hydrocephalus is a common complication of untreated coccidioidal meningitis, and it may develop during appropriate treatment (oral fluconazole, 200-400 mg/d, continued indefinitely). Patients with hydrocephalus and evidence of increased intracranial pressure require a shunt.