CD8A and fungal meningitis: In this context, COVID-19 has also emerged as a risk factor to invasive fungal infections (IFI), including fungal meningitis (FM), due severe COVID-19 disease is associated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor alpha, reduced CD4- IFN-γ expression, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.34