Valor de las pruebas inmunologicas en el diagnostico de la histoplasmosis meningea Academic Article

journal

  • Revista de Neurologia

abstract

  • Introduction. Between 1985 and 1995, 3,860 cerebrospinal fiuid (CSF) samples from patients with mycotic meningitis were analyzed. Methods. Direct examination, cultures, complement fixation (CF) and immunodiffusion (ID) with Histoplasma capsulatum were carried out. Results. Seventy four samples from 31 patients (three of them with AIDS) were reactive at the immunological assays. Cultures were positive in five patients. In 26 patients the clinical diagnosis together with positive CSF assays gave indirect evidence of meningeal histoplasmosis. ID ad CF reactivity were 93.5% and 100% respectively. For 23 patients who had simultaneous examination of blood and CSF the double positivity was 78.2%. Conclusions. Because of the direct isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum is a difficult one, the diagnosis of subacute or chronic meningeal histoplasmosis may be confirmed by indirect immunological assays.

publication date

  • 1997-9-1

edition

  • 25

keywords

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
  • Histoplasma
  • Histoplasmosis
  • Immunodiffusion
  • Meningitis

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0210-0010

number of pages

  • 5

start page

  • 1376

end page

  • 1380