A Case of Intracranial Space-occupying Lesion Caused by Infection of AIDS-associated Talaromyces Marnefei

Abstract

Background: Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei) is a heat-dimorphic fungus that commonly causes fatal opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Case presentation: In this case report we describe a case of intracranial infection of T. marneffei in a 42-year-old AIDS patient. Contrast enhanced MRI showed the left occipital lobe mass with ring enhancement, MRS showed elevated AAs and Lip waves in the mass. Surgical resection of the occipital lobe confirmed the lesion to be T. marneffei infection and possibly with tuberculosis after a pathological examination. Patients with intracranial ring enhancing space-occupying lesions on MRI should be considered for intracranial T. marneffei infection. Intracranial T. marneffei infection is relatively rarely reported and recently studied.

Conclusion: The MRI, in this case, suggests that ring enhancement mass and elevated AAs and Lip waves are helpful in the diagnosis of T. marneffei infection.

Keywords: Talaromyces marneffei; fungus; intracranial infection; lobe; magnetic resonance imaging; mass.