Deafness and blindness in a renal transplant recipient with cryptococcal meningitis

Abstract

Infections are a major determinant of outcome in kidney transplantation. Opportunistic pathogens are common in kidney recipients and several organs can be affected. Central nervous system infection in transplant recipients is a medical emergency. There is limited information in the literature concerning post-transplantation cryptococcal infection. Deafness and blindness are not classic findings. We report a case of meningocerebral cryptococcosis complicated by deafness and blindness after kidney transplantation. Physicians need to consider the possibility of Cryptococcus neoformans when symptoms persist despite empiric antimicrobial therapy.