Central nervous system invasion by community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Abstract

We report a case of community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) bacteraemia with cavernous sinus thrombosis, meningitis and brain abscess in a previously healthy American, who was employed in Belgium. We consecutively reviewed all published cases of CA-MRSA with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. A total of 12 similar cases were found, of which 11 were published in the last 4 years. Predominantly, young previously healthy subjects were affected (median age 28 years). The cases involved brain abscesses (5/12), disseminated disease (4/12), cavernous sinus thrombosis (2/12) and other (1/12). Infection origins were superficial skin infections (5/12), mostly of the face, sinusitis (1/12), otitis media (1/12), other or unknown (5/12). Although, in our review of the literature patients treated with linezolid had a better outcome compared to patients treated with vancomycin, the latter is still the mainstay of therapy for CNS infections associated with MRSA.

• Authors: Reinout Naesens, Mark Ronsyn, Patrick Druwé, Olivier Denis, Margareta Ieven, Axel Jeurissen
• Journal: Journal of medical microbiology (J Med Microbiol) Vol. 58 Issue Pt 9 Pg. 1247-1251 (Sep 2009) ISSN: 0022-2615 [Print] England
• PMID: 19528145 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Bacteremia
• Brain Abscess (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis (drug therapy, microbiology, surgery)
• Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections (drug therapy, microbiology, surgery)
• Community-Acquired Infections (drug therapy, microbiology, surgery)
• Fatal Outcome
• Humans
• Male
• Meningitis, Bacterial (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• Staphylococcal Infections (drug therapy, microbiology, surgery)