How is cryptococcal meningitis diagnosed?
Your doctor will usually diagnose cryptococcal meningitis through either a simple blood test or spinal tap. Although a spinal tap may sound frightening, it’s a common procedure. A local anesthetic will be given and some people lie down for a couple of hours directly after the procedure to ease possible headaches. The blood or spinal fluid is then tested to find the fungus. This test, called a CRAG test, can detect about 95% of people who are ill with cryptococcal disease. Your doctor may treat you with antibiotics immediately while waiting for the CRAG test results since because bacterial meningitis is deadly and progresses rapidly without antibiotics.
