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Meningite fúngica

Evidence last reviewed: 9 Sep 2026
Topic last updated: 17 Feb 2026

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presença de fatores de risco
  • cefaleia progressiva
  • cefaleia intensa
  • meningismo
  • sintomas de hidrocefalia (função cognitiva deficiente, confusão, distúrbios da marcha ou da coordenação e incontinência urinária)
  • alteração de personalidade ou comportamento
  • acuidade visual reduzida e papiledema
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • náuseas ou vômitos
  • febre
  • rebaixamento do nível de consciência
  • paralisia de nervo craniano
  • convulsões
  • perda de peso
  • úlceras orais
  • sinais neurológicos focais
  • linfadenopatia, hepatoesplenomegalia
  • dispneia
  • lesões cutâneas umbilicadas papulares
  • defeitos retinais
  • escara nasal ou palatal
Full details

Risk factors

  • Infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV)
  • uso de corticosteroide
  • doença crônica subjacente (por exemplo, malignidade, insuficiência de órgãos, doença autoimune, transplante de órgãos)
  • residência ou visita ao norte da Austrália, Papua Nova Guiné ou Vancouver Island, Canadá
  • exposição a solo degradado, fezes de aves ou cavernas de morcegos
  • imunidade mediada por células prejudicada
  • filipinos e afro-americanos
  • neutropenia ou função fagocítica deficiente
  • neurocirurgia
  • lactentes e neonatos
  • cateteres vasculares centrais
  • doença sinonasal
  • uso de antibacterianos
  • cirurgia anterior
  • hiperalimentação
  • uso de substâncias por via intravenosa
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • tomografia computadorizada (TC) e/ou ressonância nuclear magnética (RNM) do crânio
  • hemoculturas para fungos (3 conjuntos)
  • teste de antígeno criptocócico sérico
  • Antígeno sérico + urinário para Histoplasma
  • testes de imunodifusão (imunoglobulina M [IgM] e imunoglobulina G [IgG]) e teste de fixação de complemento (IgG) para coccidioidomicose
  • pressão de abertura do líquido cefalorraquidiano
  • leucócitos do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) e diferencial
  • proteína do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR)
  • glicose do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR)
  • coloração com tinta nanquim do líquido cefalorraquidiano
  • cultura do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR)
  • teste do antígeno polissacarídeo criptocócico no líquido cefalorraquidiano
  • antígeno para Histoplasma do líquido cefalorraquidiano
  • autoanticorpos para Histoplasma do líquido cefalorraquidiano
  • anticorpos IgG coccidioidais no líquido cefalorraquidiano
  • teste do antígeno galactomanana do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR)
Full details

Tests to consider

  • histopatologia e cultura de biópsias: meníngea, cérebro, locais extraneurais envolvidos
  • reação em cadeia da polimerase
Full details

Emerging tests

  • PET com 18F-fluordesoxiglucose (FDG)/TC
  • (1-3)-beta-D-glicano no líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR)

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

meningite criptocócica

meningite histoplasmática

meningite coccidioidal

meningite por cândida

Meningite Exserohilum rostratum

Meningite por Aspergillus

meningite por mucormicose

Contributors

Authors

Abhijit Chaudhuri, DM, MD, PhD, FACP, FRCP (Glasg), FRCP (Lond)

Consultant Neurologist

Clinical Lead of Neuroinflammation

Department of Neurology

Queen's Hospital

Romford

UK

Disclosures

AC declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Abhijit Chaudhuri would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Thomas S. Harrison and Dr Angela Loyse, previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

TSH and AL declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Robert A. Larsen, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine

University of Southern California

Keck School of Medicine

Los Angeles

CA

Disclosures

RAL declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Johnson RH, Einstein HE. Coccidioidal meningitis. Clin Infect Dis. 2006 Jan 1;42(1):103-7.Full text  Abstract

World Health Organization. Guidelines for diagnosing, preventing and managing cryptococcal disease among adults, adolescents and children living with HIV. June 2022 [internet publication].Full text  Abstract

National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Disease Society of America. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in adults and adolescents with HIV. Jul 2025 [internet publication].Full text

Galgiani JN, Ampel NM, Blair JE, et al. 2016 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) clinical practice guideline for the treatment of coccidioidomycosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2016 Sep 15;63(6):e112-46.Full text  Abstract

Pappas PG, Kauffman CA, Andes DR, et al. Clinical practice guideline for the management of candidiasis: 2016 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2016 Feb 15;62(4):e1-50.Full text  Abstract

Patterson TF, Thompson GR 3rd, Denning DW, et al. Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of aspergillosis: 2016 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2016 Aug 15;63(4):e1-60.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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    • Guidelines for diagnosing, preventing, and managing cryptococcal disease among adults, adolescents and children living with HIV
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    Punção lombar

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