A case of coccidioidomycosis with central nervous system involvement

: We report a 44-year-old Japanese man with chronic meningitis due to coccidoiodomycosis. He was admitted to our hospital because of pneumonia after the business trip to Phoenix, Arizona. Coccidioid immitis was cultured from periathric abscess on the sternoclavicular joint. He became asymptomatic by 5-FC administration. One year later, however, he complained of headache and fever. Coccidiodial meningitis was diagnosed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination. Both systemic and intrathecal administration of miconazole and oral itraconazole were ineffective. While meningitis was not cured for three years, normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) developed. CSF cell count fell into normal range after administration of fluconazole (800 mg/day) for thirteen months, but NPH continued. This is the first report of coccidiodimycosis with CNS involvement in Japan.