BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

#120 Fungal brain disease

BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

In 2012, more than 13,000 Americans were inadvertently exposed to contaminated medical equipment, resulting in one of the largest fungal outbreaks in US history. Despite rapid mobilization by the CDC and FDA, 751 patients died from complications of fungal brain infections.

But this is more the exception than the rule when it comes to fungal infections of the central nervous system. This week on the BrainWaves podcast, we review the common (and uncommon) clinical, radiographic, and diagnostic features of fungal brain disease. Enjoy!

Produced by James E. Siegler. Music by Jahzzar, Swelling, The Insider, and Chris Zabriskie. Sound effects by Mike Koenig, Daniel Simion. BrainWaves' podcasts and online content are intended for medical education only and should not be used for clinical decision making.

REFERENCES

  1. Kainer MA, Reagan DR, Nguyen DB, Wiese AD, Wise ME, Ward J, Park BJ, Kanago ML, Baumblatt J, Schaefer MK, Berger BE, Marder EP, Min JY, Dunn JR, Smith RM, Dreyzehner J, Jones TF and Tennessee Fungal Meningitis Investigation T. Fungal infections associated with contaminated methylprednisolone in Tennessee. The New England journal of medicine. 2012;367:2194-203.
  2. Smith RM, Schaefer MK, Kainer MA, Wise M, Finks J, Duwve J, Fontaine E, Chu A, Carothers B, Reilly A, Fiedler J, Wiese AD, Feaster C, Gibson L, Griese S, Purfield A, Cleveland AA, Benedict K, Harris JR, Brandt ME, Blau D, Jernigan J, Weber JT, Park BJ and Multistate Fungal Infection Outbreak Response T. Fungal infections associated with contaminated methylprednisolone injections. The New England journal of medicine. 2013;369:1598-609.
  3. McCotter OZ, Smith RM, Westercamp M, Kerkering TM, Malani AN, Latham R, Peglow SL, Mody RK, Pappas PG and Chiller TM. Update on Multistate Outbreak of Fungal Infections Associated with Contaminated Methylprednisolone Injections, 2012-2014. MMWR Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2015;64:1200-1.
  4. Schwartz S, Kontoyiannis DP, Harrison T and Ruhnke M. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections of the CNS. The Lancet Neurology. 2018;17:362-372.
  5. Benedict K and Park BJ. Invasive fungal infections after natural disasters. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014;20:349-55.
  6. Brouwer MC, Tunkel AR, McKhann GM, 2nd and van de Beek D. Brain abscess. The New England journal of medicine. 2014;371:447-56.
  7. Wilson MR, O'Donovan BD, Gelfand JM, Sample HA, Chow FC, Betjemann JP, Shah MP, Richie MB, Gorman MP, Hajj-Ali RA, Calabrese LH, Zorn KC, Chow ED, Greenlee JE, Blum JH, Green G, Khan LM, Banerji D, Langelier C, Bryson-Cahn C, Harrington W, Lingappa JR, Shanbhag NM, Green AJ, Brew BJ, Soldatos A, Strnad L, Doernberg SB, Jay CA, Douglas V, Josephson SA and DeRisi JL. Chronic Meningitis Investigated via Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing. JAMA Neurol. 2018.
  8. Baddley JW, Salzman D and Pappas PG. Fungal brain abscess in transplant recipients: epidemiologic, microbiologic, and clinical features. Clin Transplant. 2002;16:419-24.

Next Episodes

BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

#119 Say WHAT? @ BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

📆 2018-08-30 11:00 / 00:26:33


BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

#13 The broken heart syndrome @ BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

📆 2018-08-23 11:00 / 00:18:46




BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

#116 Pain in the neck @ BrainWaves: A Neurology Podcast

📆 2018-07-19 11:00 / 00:20:38