Routine CSF analysis in coccidioidomycosis is not required.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 23717579.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0064249 and PMC identifier 3661666.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Although routinely done, there has been no evaluation of the utility of performing routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination in patients with active coccidioidomycosis and high complement fixation (IgG) antibody titers or other risk factors for disseminated infection. In our review 100% of patients diagnosed with coccidioidal meningitis had at least one sign or symptom consistent with infection of the central nervous system, headache was present in 100% of those with meningitis, while no patients without signs/symptoms of CNS infection were found to have coccidioidal meningitis, irrespective of antibody titers or other risk factors. Thus routine lumbar puncture may be unnecessary for patients with coccidioidomycosis who lack suggestive clinical symptoms.
Medical subject headings
- Coccidioidomycosis