A life-threatening infection caused by the fungus
Cryptococcus neoformans, which infects the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include fever, malaise, and headache. Cryptococcal meningitis most often affects people with weakened immune systems, including people with HIV. In people with HIV, cryptococcal meningitis is an AIDS-defining condition.
See Related Term(s): AIDS-Defining Condition, Opportunistic Infection