Brown Heroin-Associated Candida albicans Ventriculitis and Endopthalmitis Treated with Voriconazole

Abstract

Chronic meningitis and ventriculitis are defined as inflammatory pleocytoses in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and ependyma that persists for at least 1 month without spontaneous resolution. Because the CSF communicates directly with the posterior compartments of the eye, fungal infections in the brain often cause secondary ophthalmologic complications. We report a 23-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with progressive severe headaches associated with insidious monocular vision loss. After extensive workup and a multidisciplinary team effort, the patient was diagnosed with ventriculitis and endogenous endopthalmitis. The etiology is suspected to be due to brown heroin use with secondary disseminated Candida albicans.

Keywords

• Fungal meningitis
• Ventriculitis
• Chronic meningitis
• Candida albicans
• Endopthalmitis
• Brown heroin