Abstract: This paper reports 20 patients with cryptococcal meningitis,which were misdiagnosed before anti-fungal therapy,and the majority of them was diagnosed as tuberculous meningitis or viral meningitis.These patients were treated either with amphotericin B or fluconazale alone,or in combination with flucytosine respectively,of the 15 patients could be evaluated,10 were cured(66.7%),2 improved(13.3%),3 died(20%),1 relapsed(10%).The mortality rate among the under age group and the aged group was significantly higher than that of the adult group(71.4% vs 23%).It is the authors' experience that in the early stage intrathecal amphotericin B combines with intravenous fluoconazole and changes to oral fluconazole or itraconazole in the later stage may be a valuable approach for cryptococcal meningitis.

Key words: Cryptococcal meningitis, Therapeutics