Scientists from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Fiocruz) recently identified the first case Meningoencephalitis due to fungus Penicillium chrysanthemum in Brazil, described in a scientific article in the Scientific Journal International Journal of Infectious Diseases. The accident resulted in the death of the patient after a serious injury to her brain and meninges in Rio de Janeiro.

The victim was 14 years old and had no comorbidities, and the body appeared to be well equipped to fight infection, which puzzled the researchers. She was admitted to the Naval Marcelio Dias Hospital, in the northern district of the municipality, and had symptoms of vomiting, headache and photophobia. The presence of the pathogen was determined by analyzing the cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

rare case

Such as Meningoencephalitis usually because bacteria or sex fungi undercoverIt was amazing to see P. chrysanthemum Based on the result of the taxonomic identification of the assigned Fiocruz lab, especially because it is a species that has never emerged as a pathogen in Brazil. Despite treatment with antifungals of two different classes, the patient did not resist septic and neurological shocks and died.

For doctors, it is concerning that the condition was so serious in someone with a fully functioning immune system, which indicates that mushroom He managed to evade the immune response and he could do it again. However, the progression can be faster and show worse symptoms in people who are immunocompromised, such as COVID-19 patients and AIDS patients. It is not known how the patient would have become infected P. chrysanthemumis more present in environments where there is decomposing material, works and sewers, but with a wide distribution.

worrying factors

With the increasing number of people suffering from immunosuppression in Brazil, resulting from drug use, the sequelae of COVID-19, depression and AIDS, the number of fungal infections of the central nervous system is increasing. a undercover It is generally responsible for causing meningitis: it is most often transmitted by inhalation of spores from soil contaminated with pigeon feces.

infection undercover He has an easy diagnosis, but the accident with P. chrysanthemum It reinforces the need for study and research mushroom More efficiently, since microorganisms are not remembered and sometimes go unnoticed or untreated, endangering the lives of patients.

Source: Fiocruz

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