General Hospital Psychiatry
Volume 32, Issue 5 , Pages 560.e9-560.e10, September 2010

Treatment-resistant depression prior to the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis: a case report

  • Ker-Li Hsueh, M.D., M.S.
    • ,
  • Pao-Yen Lin, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung County 833, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 7 7317123x8751; fax: +886 7 7326817.

Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Received 19 December 2009; accepted 3 June 2010. published online 20 July 2010.

Abstract 

Comorbidity of chronic infectious disorders is one of the common causes of treatment-resistant depression. Depression may alter some aspects of immunity that can contribute to the development of infection. Here we describe an elderly male with treatment-resistant depression. Ten months after antidepressants were administered, he was found to have cryptococcal meningitis. After successful treatment of the central nervous system infection, his depressive symptoms improved apparently. A possible interaction between depression and cellular immunity was discussed. Physicians should be cautious about the risk of opportunistic infection in patients with depression, especially in immunocompromised condition.

Keywords: Cryptococcal meningitis, Treatment-resistant depression

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PII: S0163-8343(10)00107-6

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.06.002

General Hospital Psychiatry
Volume 32, Issue 5 , Pages 560.e9-560.e10, September 2010

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