Epidemiological and TNFα polymorphism evaluation in patients with cryptococcal meningitis treated at a referral hospital in North Brazil

• Main Authors: Alena Mileo Monteiro Diniz, Danielle Cristinne Azevedo Feio, Aniel de Sarom Negrão Silva, Rommel Rodríguez Burbano, Patrícia Danielle Lima de Lima
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Series: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Subjects: Cryptococcal meningitis; Genetic polymorphisms; Cerebrospinal fluid; TNFα
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822019000100658&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The present study evaluated the epidemiology of cryptococcal meningitis and TNFα gene polymorphisms in patients at a reference hospital in northern Brazil. METHODS: Samples from 25 patients infected with Cryptococcus spp. were collected to confirm the infection and to analyze the TNFα gene polymorphisms. RESULTS: Cryptococcus neoformans was detected as the predominant etiological agent (100%) in HIV-positive patients. No genetic polymorphic changes were found. CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was observed between the analyzed TNFα polymorphisms and cryptococcal meningitis.