1. Pathology of fungal infections of the central nervous system: 17 years' experience from Southern India.
- Author
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Sundaram, C., Umabala, P., Laxmi, V., Purohit, A. K., Prasad, V. S. S. V., Panigrahi, M., Sahu, B. P., Sarathi, M. V., Kaul, S., Borghain, R., Meena, A. K., Jayalakshmi, S. S., Suvarna, A., Mohandas, S., and Murthy, J. M. K.
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PATHOLOGY , *MYCOSES , *ASPERGILLOSIS , *CRYPTOCOCCOSIS , *DISEASE risk factors , *CENTRAL nervous system - Abstract
Aims: To describe the pathology of central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections with particular reference to India. Methods and results: This was a retrospective study from 1988 to 2004 constituting 130 cases. The diagnosis was based on morphology of biopsy/autopsy material. These included aspergillosis ( n = 73), zygomycosis ( n = 40), cryptococcosis ( n = 2), rhodotorulosis ( n = 1), candidiasis ( n = 5), maduramycosis ( n = 1), pheohyphomycosis ( n = 3) and mixed infections ( n = 5). Predisposing risk factors were present in 49 (38%) patients only. The majority of the patients were immunocompetent. The commonest risk factor was diabetes mellitus, the commonest route of infection was from a contiguous site and the commonest pathology was granuloma. Culture positivity was seen in only 31%. Conclusion: Environmental factors in tropical countries such as India play a significant role in the pathogenesis of CNS fungal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
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